FORBIDDEN 


m 


•IK 


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EDWAR 


V 


•VENTURE  SERIES 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


GIFT  OF 

Mary  Randall 


FOREIGN  ADVENTURE  SERIES 


LOST  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 


THE  FOREIGN  ADVENTURE  SERIES 


BY 

EDWARD  S.  ELLIS 

ILLUSTRATED  BY 

EDWIN  1.  PRITTIE 


No.   i. — Lost  in  the  Forbidden  Land 

No.   2. — River  and  Jungle 

No.  3. — The  Hunt  of  the  White  Elephant 


The  FOREIGN  ADVENTURE  SERIES  is  bound  in 
uniform  style  in  Cloth,  with  side  and  back  stamped 
in  colors. 

Price,  single  volume $1.00 

Price,  per  set  of  three  volumes,  in  attrac- 
tive boxes    3 .00 


THE  FOREIGN  ADVENTURE  SERIES 


BY 

EDWARD  S.  ELLIS 

ILLUSTRATED  BY 

EDWIN  J.  PRITTIE 


No.   i. — Lost  in  the  Forbidden  Land 

No.   2. — River  and  Jungle 

No.  3. — The  Hunt  of  the  White  Elephant 


The  FOREIGN  ADVENTURE  SERIES  is  bound  in 
uniform  style  in  Cloth,  with  side  and  back  stamped 
in  colors. 

Price,  single  volume $1.00 

Price,  per  set  of  three  volumes,  in  attrac- 
tive boxes    3 .00 


With  a  rasping  screech  he  plunged  upward  and  backward, 
see  page  165 


FOREIGN     ADVENTURE     SERIES 


Lost  in  the 
Forbidden  Land 


By  Edward  S.  Ellis 

Author  of  "Deerfoot  Series,"  "Young  Pioneer  Series," 
"Log  Cabin  Series,"  "The  New  Deerfoot  Series," 
"Up  and  Doing  Series,"  etc.,  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 
By  EDWIN  J.   PRITTIE 


THE  JOHN   C.   WINSTON  COMPANY 

CHICAGO  PHILADELPHIA  TORONTO 


COPYRIGHT  1906,  BY  THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  Co 

Copyright  1905,  by  Edward  8.  Ellis. 
Copyright  1877,  by  James  Elverson, 


GIFT 


CONTENTS 


CHAP.  I.  A  MAD  SCHEME 9 

CHAP.  II.  "!F  You  STIR  You  ARE  A 

DEAD  MAN!"  ....  23 
CHAP.  III.  ONE  OF  BOLIVIA'S  ANIMAL 

PRODUCTS 31 

CHAP.  IV.  A  PERILOUS  PLUNGE  .  .  .  41 

CHAP.  V.  A  STARTLING  AWAKENING  .  50 
CHAP.  VI.  DRAWING  NEAR  EL  GRAN 

CHACO 60 

CHAP.  VII.  THE  FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE 

TOBAS 69 

CHAP.  VIII.  FORGING  AHEAD 79 

CHAP.  IX.  SHORTHANDED 89 

CHAP.  X.  STUCK  FAST 98 

CHAP.  XI.  A  CHANGE  OF  BASE  .  .  .108 

CHAP.  XII.  THE  OVERLAND  ROUTE  .  .  117 


M854175 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

CHAP.          XIII.     A  STRANGE   PERIL  .    .     .   .    127 
CHAP.  XIV.     A  STRANGE  DANGER   AND  A 

STRANGE   ESCAPE   .    .137 

CHAP.  XV.     RIDING  DOUBLE 147 

CHAP.  XVI.     AT  BAY 157 

CHAP.         XVII.     A   DESPERATE   SCHEME  .    .     167 
CHAP.        XVIII.     A  DASH  FOR  FREEDOM  .     .    177* 
CHAP.          XIX.     ALONE  ON  THE  PAMPA   .     .    187 

CHAP.  XX.     AT   LAST 197 

CHAP.          XXI.     A    STARTLING    CHANGE    OF 

FORTUNE 208 

CHAP.         XXII.     A  BREAK   FOR  LIBERTY  .    .    222 
CHAP.       XXIII.     THE  CUL  DE  SAC   ....    236 

CHAP.        XXIV.     CHECKED 250 

CHAP.         XXV.     SHUT  IN 264 

CHAP.        XXVI.     THE    BLACKNESS    OF    DARK- 
NESS   277 

CHAP.      XXVII.     THE  LAST  RECOURSE  ...    291 
CHAP.     XXVIII.     " ALABAMA   AGIN!"    .         .299 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

FRONTISPIECE:  WITH  A  RASPING  SCREECH  HE 
PLUNGED  UPWARD  AND  BACKWARD 

"!TS  Too  LATE,  WE'RE   GOING  Too  FAST"  .      43 

THE  HASTILY  BUILT  DAM  WAS  SHATTERED  TO 

ATOMS 81 

PLUNGED  THE  POINT  OF  His  WEAPON  INTO 

THE  WATER  287 


LOST  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN 
LAND 

CHAPTER  I 

A  MAD  SCHEME 

IT  WAS  in  the  early  part  of  1899,  that,  while 
engaged    in   making    a    South    American 
tour,   I    drifted    into    the    little    Bolivian 
town    of    Sucre.     This    town    stands    on    the 
northern  bank  of  the  Pilcomayo,  about  a  hun- 
dred miles  from  its  source  near  Lake  Autlapas, 
in  a  spur  of  the  great  Andean  range,  which 
forms  the  mighty  western  wall  of  South  Amer- 
ica, all  the  way  from  the  Caribbean  Sea  to  Cape 
Horn. 

I  was  sauntering  in  a  dreamy  mood  through 
the  half  civilized  collection  of  huts,  flimsy 
dwellings  and  primitive  streets,  with  the  lazy 
negroes,  mongrels,  half  breeds  and  original 
natives  lolling  lazily  in  the  sun.  I  was  wonder- 
ing how  many  centuries  would  have  to  come 
and  go  before  these  Bolivians  would  earn  the 
name  of  being  civilized. 

9 


10  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Like  most  of  the  people  in  the  interior,  the 
Sucreans  are  indolent,  stupid  and  in  many  in- 
stances vicious.  Were  they  not  so  cowardly,  a 
traveler  would  never  be  safe,  for  the  police 
force  such  as  it  is,  is  as  corrupt  and  treacher- 
ous as  those  whom  they  pretend  to  govern. 

I  had  traveled  sufficiently  through  Brazil, 
Argentina  and  Paraguay  to  understand  the  in- 
habitants. Not  only  did  I  carry  two  of  the  best 
Smith  &  Wesson  revolvers,  but  I  made  sure 
that  a  good  supply  of  cartridges  was  always  in 
my  possession. 

These  weapons,  being  in  holsters  at  my  hips, 
always  gave  the  dusky  miscreants  fair  notice  of 
what  they  were  up  against  when  they  attacked 
me.  I  had  winged  two  or  three  of  them  in  the 
course  of  my  wanderings,  could  speak  their 
gibberish,  whose  basis  is  the  Spanish  tongue, 
and  understood  their  nature  so  well  that  I  was 
rarely  in  danger  from  even  the  lowest  classes, 
among  which  are  to  be  included  the  sullen, 
scowling  negroes. 

But  it  was  fully  a  year  since  I  had  left  New 
York,  and  I  will  not  deny  that  I  was  homesick. 
I  had  become  so  tired  of  looking  upon  and  meet- 
ing the  mongrels  and  unclean  natives  that  I 
would  have  jumped  with  delight  at  the  sight  of 
a  man  from  my  own  land. 


A  MAD  SCHEME  11 

To  appreciate  your  own  country,  you  must 
go  abroad,  and  it  matters  little  where. 

As  I  said,  I  was  sauntering  along  the  nar- 
row street,  which  was  unpaved  and  in  places 
sloped  like  the  roof  of  a  house,  when  to  my 
amazement  some  one  slapped  me  on  the  shoul- 
der and  called  out  in  unmistakable  English: 

"How  are  you,  old  fellow?" 

Turning  my  head,  I  was  startled  into  momen- 
tary speechlessness  by  the  sight  of  a  man  who 
could  never  be  mistaken  for  any  other  than 
a  genuine  American.  His  appearance  sug- 
gested the  caricatures  that  were  common  some 
years  ago  of  "Brother  Jonathan,"  for  he  was 
tall,  thin,  with  a  sharp  nose,  bright  keen  gray 
eyes,  and  wore  a  tuft  of  yellow  whiskers  on  his 
chin. 

His  coat  was  of  blue  broadcloth,  with  brass 
buttons  and  swallow  tail,  his  trousers  were 
tight  fitting  and  reached  but  little  below  his 
boot  tops,  while  an  immense  gold  chain  dangled 
from  his  yellow  vest. 

The  only  points  that  varied  from  the  cari- 
catures I  have  spoken  of  was  that,  like  me,  he 
carried  a  revolver  at  each  hip  and  his  small 
waist  was  spanned  by  a  belt  that  was  full  of 
cartridges,  and,  instead  of  wearing  the  tall  plug 
hat  of  his  country,  his  small  head  was  sheltered 


12  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

by  a  broad  Panama,  of  such  fine  material  that 
it  must  have  cost  a  big  sum  of  money. 

His  long  sandy  hair  was  brushed  behind  his 
ears  and  the  expression  of  his  face  was  keen, 
inquisitive,  alert  and  good  natured. 

No  wonder  I  was  astonished  to  meet  him  in 
this  out  of  the  way  corner  of  the  world.  I 
should  add  that  he  was  smoking  a  huge  cigar, 
and  before  I  could  reply  to  his  salutation,  he 
drew  its  mate  out  of  an  upper  vest  pocket  and 
thrust  it  toward  me. 

"Try  it,  friend;  their  weeds  in  this  country 
taste  better  than  they  look.  I  knew  you  were 
an  American  the  moment  my  eyes  rested  on 
you  and  I  tell  you  it  did  me  good  to  see  you. 
What's  your  name?"  he  added  as  he  extended 
his  hand,  which  I  cordially  grasped. 

I  was  as  delighted  as  he  and  told  him  who  I 
was. 

I  never  dreamed  of  meeting  one  of  my  own 
countrymen,"  I  added,  as  we  faced  each  other 
and  I  lit  my  cigar  from  his ;  * '  and  I  need  not 
tell  you  that  I  am  as  glad  as  you.  May  I  in- 
quire your  name? 

<  <  Higgenbottom — Percy  Higgenbottom.  I 
am  from  New  Haven  and  left  home  last  sum- 
mer. " 


A  MAD  SCHEME  13 

"I  cannot  understand  what  brought  you  to 
this  miserable  country." 

"It  does  look  odd,  but  I  might  say  the  same 
of  you/ ' 

"Well,"  I  replied,  "I  set  out  to  do  the  prin- 
cipal parts  of  South  America,  but  I  have  grown 
sick  of  the  business  and  intend  to  get  back  to 
God's  country  as  soon  as  I  can  and  to  stay 
there  hereafter." 

My  new  acquaintance  laughed  in  his  peculiar, 
chuckling  way. 

"I  think  it's  on  you,  Windermyer;  you  came 
for  pleasure  and  that  is  more  than  I  can  under- 
stand, for  I'm  here  on  business." 

"If  that  is  more  creditable  to  your  common 
sense,  it  is  still  more  wonderful  as  a  fact,  for 
what  do  these  miserable  people  know  of  busi- 
ness?" 

"Mighty  little;  they  are  the  laziest  folks  on 
earth;  the  only  able  bodied  man  that  I  have 
seen  doing  anything  was  one  that  was  asleep 
and  falling  off  a  house.  But  I'm  dealing  with 
the  government,  and  have  just  made  a  contract 
with  President  Seiior  Severo  Fernandez  Alon- 
zo,  whose  long  reign  began  in  1896 — three  years 
ago." 

"You  have  aroused  my  curiosity." 


14  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

"Come  with  me  to  the  Waldorf  Astoria  of 
Sucre  and  I'll  tell  you  all  about  it." 

The  leading  hotel  of  this  Bolivian  town 
might  serve  as  a  respectable  stable  in  our  own 
land.  Like  all  the  buildings  in  countries  sub- 
ject to  earthquakes,  it  was  low  and  flat,  con- 
sisting of  only  two  stories,  with  a  broad,  cov- 
ered piazza  extending  around  three  sides, 
screened  by  climbing  vines  and  flowers.  There 
were  a  few  rickety  uncertain  chairs,  wretched, 
untidy  and  scant  furniture  and  provision  in 
the  way  of  drink  and  food  which  only  a  man 
in  sore  straits  could  make  palatable. 

The  landlord  sat  in  one  chair  with  his  bare 
feet  resting  in  another,  his  dilapidated  hat  on 
the  porch  beside  him,  his  eyes  shut  and  his 
mouth  open,  while  his  snoring  could  be  heard 
a  block  away. 

Not  another  person  was  in  sight  about  the 
miserable  hostelry,  and,  though  Higgenbottom 
purposely  stumbled  against  his  chair  while  we 
were  passing  to  the  further  end  of  the  porch, 
the  landlord  was  not  disturbed.  At  the  angle 
of  the  piazza,  we  seated  ourselves,  after  some 
careful  experiments  with  the  wrecks  of  chairs, 
and  resting  our  feet  in  true  American  fashion, 
puffed  our  cigars  and  conversed  without  dis- 
turbance. 


A  MAD  SCHEME  15 

"I  suppose,"  said  my  friend,  "that  you 
know  something  of  the  many  attempts,  all  end- 
ing in  failure,  to  trace  the  Pilcomayo  river 
from  its  source  near  us,  to  where  it  joins  the 
Paraguay?" 

"Yes;  naturally  I  informed  myself  before 
coming  to  South  America.  It  is  strange  that 
though  some  of  the  parties  were  large  and  well 
armed,  not  one  succeeded  in  pushing  through 
the  country  of  the  Tobas  Indians." 

"I  don't  see  anything  strange  about  it,  when 
you  bear  in  mind  the  character  of  the  people 
who  made  most  of  the  attempts.  They  were 
Spaniards,  who  knew  no  more  about  fighting 
than  Admirals  Cervera  or  Montojo.  What 
fun  it  would  be  for  a  party  of  American  cow- 
boys to  walfcz  from  Sucre  to  Asuncion ! ' ' 

"No  doubt;  and  that  is  the  only  way  the  job 
will  ever  be  done." 

"I  don't  know  about  that;  I  think  I  shall  get 
through!" 

I  stared  at  the  fellow  in  amazement. 

*  '  You  get  through !    What  do  you  mean  ? ' ' 

He  closed  one  eye  and  looking  quizzically  at 
me,  with  his  big  cigar  still  between  his  lips,  he 
drawled : 

"I  have  made  a  contract  with  the  Bolivian 
government  to  run  a  steamer  down  the  Pilco- 


16  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

mayo  through  the  country  of  the  Tobas; 
I  have  the  boat  ready  and  the  crew  engaged ;  we 
are  to  start  tomorrow  and  if  you  will  go  with 
me,  I  will  make  it  worth  your  while. ' ' 

"But,  Higgenbottom, "  I  rejoined,  "I  am  as- 
tonished beyond  measure.  Knowing  that  you 
must  be  familiar  with  the  history  of  all  these 
expeditions,  your  enterprise  is  suicide." 

"Perhaps  it  is  and  perhaps  it  isn't,  but  all 
the  same  I  start  tomorrow. ' ' 

"Tell  me  something  about  it." 

He  was  pleased  to  gratify  my  curiosity,  and 
sinking  down  in  his  chair  until  his  head  was 
lower  than  his  boots  on  the  railing,  he  smoked 
and  said : 

"You  can  understand  how  anxious  Bolivia 
is  to  find  the  Pilcomayo  navigable  for  steam- 
ers, all  the  way  down  to  the  Paraguay,  for  if 
that  is  the  fact,  Bolivia  will  have  what  she  has 
never  had — an  outlet  to  the  Atlantic.  The 
Argentine  Republic  is  hardly  less  anxious,  for 
such  an  outlet  would  prove  a  vast  advantage  to 
her.  She  has  joined  Bolivia  several  times  and 
President  Alonzo  gave  me  to  understand  that 
she  shared  in  the  expense  of  my  enterprise. ' ' 

"Were  you  induced  to  come  all  the  way  from 
Connecticut  to  Sucre  to  undertake  this  strange 
contract?" 


A  MAD  SCHEME  17 

"By  no  means;  I  never  heard  of  the  Pilco- 
mayo  until  I  reached  Buenos  Ayres.  You  are 
traveling  for  pleasure,  which  I  can't  afford;  my 
father  has  seven  boys,  and  the  farm  near  New 
Haven  won't  support  his  family,  which  is  still 
growing,  with  no  one  able  to  say  when  it  will 
stop.  So,  when  we  become  old  enough  to  vote, 
each  one  has  to  shift  for  himself. 

' '  One  of  my  brothers  is  digging  for  diamonds 
in  Kimberley,  South  Africa ;  another  is  helping 
to  run  things  in  the  Congo  State;  two  others 
are  pegging  away  in  the  Klondike.  I  decided 
to  try  South  America.  I  learned  all  about  the 
Pilcomayo  business  in  Buenos  Ayres,  while 
looking  around  for  a  job,  and  made  up  my  mind 
to  show  that  some  things  can  be  done  as  well 
as  others." 

"By  what  route  did  you  reach  Sucre?" 

"I  went  up  the  La  Plata,  Parana  and  the 
Paraguay  to  Caimbra,  thus  flanking  the  Tobas 
Indians,  and  then  with  three  guides  cut  across 
the  country  to  Sucre.  The  three  natives  who 
came  with  me  will  make  up  my  crew  in  going 
back.  They  are  far  better  fellows  than  you 
can  find  in  this  part  of  the  world.  We  have 
been  here  less  than  two  months,  and  they  have 
averaged  a  fight  a  day  with  the  miserable 
Sucreans,  and  every  time,"  added  Higgenbot- 
2 


18  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

torn  with  a  grin,  "they  have  broken  a  half  dozen 
heads  and  received  only  a  few  trifling  bumps 
themselves.  I  build  great  hope  on  them. ' ' 

"Your  steamer  must  be  a  small  one." 

"It  is  barely  thirty  feet  long;  the  engine  is 
ten  horse  power,  and  since  we  cannot  carry 
much  coal  and  couldn't  get  it  any  way,  we'll 
burn  wood,  of  which  there  is  no  end  on  the 
banks  of  the  river." 

"That  is  well  enough,  but  what  about  the 
Tobas,  who  have  defeated  every  attempt  thus 
far?" 

The  coolness  of  the  Yankee  was  unique  in  its 
way.  He  crossed  the  ankles  resting  on  the 
railing,  took  two  or  three  puffs  at  his  cigar  and 
drawled : 

"Well,  likely  enough  we  may  have  a  little 
trouble  with  them,  but  we  shall  have  plenty  of 
firearms." 

"So  had  all  the  expeditions  that  preceded 
you." 

"You  forget  they  were  Spaniards,  and 
couldn't  hit  anything  they  aimed  at." 

"Captain  Page  was  an  American." 

"And  a  good  fellow,  but  his  boat  drew  too 
much ;  ours  is  light  enough  almost  to  run  where 
there  is  a  heavy  dew;  then,"  said  Higgenbot- 
tom,  coming  suddenly  to  an  upright  position 


A  MAD  SCHEME  19 

and  showing  more  animation  than  before,  "I've 
got  an  idea  that  is  Yankee  clean  through;  I 
am  depending  more  on  that  than  anything 
else." 

"What  may  it  be?" 

He  glanced  around  to  make  sure  he  was  not 
overheard.  The  landlord  was  still  snoring,  and 
the  only  other  person  in  sight  was  a  brawny 
half  breed,  stretched  out  full  length  in  the  full 
glare  of  the  sun  on  the  other  side  of  the  street, 
also  sound  asleep.  Besides,  what  odds  could 
it  have  made,  if  we  had  been  overheard,  since 
we  spoke  in  English?  Nevertheless,  Higgen- 
bottom  sank  his  voice  to  a  half  whisper  and 
uttered  the  single  word: 

"Dynamite!" 

"I  was  not  aware  that  they  knew  anything 
about  that  stuff  in  this  part  of  the  world." 

"They  don't  know  much,  but  they  do  in 
Buenos  Ayres  and  Eosario;  you  know  consid- 
erable gold  has  been  found  in  Bolivia,  and  a 
few  years  ago  a  party  of  Americans,  with  two 
good  engineers,  came  over  the  Andes,  bring- 
ing a  quantity  of  dynamite  with  them.  They 
stowed  it  away,  where  the  natives  weren't 
likely  to  get  to  fooling  with  it  and  used  a  part 
for  blasting  purposes.  Before  half  was  gone, 


20  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

the  party  became  disgusted  and  went  back, 
leaving  the  dynamite  behind  them. 

"When  I  found  that  out,  I  rigged  up  an  old 
brass  Spanish  field  piece,  probably  two  hun- 
dred years  old,  with  a  powerful  spring,  which 
will  throw  a  dynamite  cartridge  several  hun- 
dred yards.  I  have  twenty  odd  good  cartridges 
ready,  and  if  the  Tobas  get  too  gay  my  gun, 
which  I  have  called  ' Uncle  Sam,'  will  cough 
a  few  dynamite  pills  among  them,  and  they 
won't  care  about  asking  any  more  questions. 
My  only  fear  is  that  they  won't  give  us  a 
chance,"  and  Higgenbottom  chuckled  again. 

"I  fear  they  will  give  you  too  many  chances. 
But  of  necessity  you  will  often  have  to  go 
ashore  to  gather  fuel,  and  your  dynamite  gun 
will  then  be  less  useful  than  you  seem  to  be- 
lieve." 

"I  have  considered  all  the  chances,"  he  said 
more  seriously,  "and  nothing  would  persuade 
me  to  back  out.  The  sum  of  money  which  I  am 
to  receive,  as  soon  as  I  reach  Asuncion  by  way 
of  the  Pilcomayo,  is  equivalent  to  twenty 
thousand  dollars  in  our  country.  I  think  that 
is  better  than  digging  in  the  Klondike." 

6 '  But  much  more  dangerous.  Then  it  is  now 
April  and  the  rainy  season  is  at  an  end." 

"The  date  couldn't  be  more  favorable.     We 


A  MAD  SCHEME  21 

shall  have  pleasant  weather  and  at  the  same 
time  all  the  advantage  to  be  gained  from  the 
rise  of  the  river.  I  told  you  I  had  been  here 
for  two  months  making  my  preparations.  I 
could  have  started  a  week  ago,  but  determined 
to  wait  until  everything  was  thoroughly  ready. 
It  is  only  a  little  way  to  the  river ;  come  with 
me." 

He  rose  briskly  from  his  chair  and  we  hur- 
ried off  the  porch  and  to  the  southern  outskirts 
of  the  town,  where  the  Pilcomayo  is  no  more 
than  a  moderately  sized  creek.  Several  canoes 
lay  partly  drawn  up  on  the  bank,  and  secured 
with  a  rope  was  the  boat  to  which  Higgenbot- 
tom  referred,  and  which  had  been  constructed, 
as  he  informed  me,  under  his  own  supervision 
and  mostly  by  himself. 

He  had  all  the  remarkable  mechanical  in- 
genuity for  which  his  people  are  famed,  and 
had  made  a  boat  some  thirty  feet  long,  six  or 
eight  feet  in  width,  of  a  pretty,  graceful  model, 
and  strong  and  serviceable.  The  sides  were 
bullet  proof,  the  small  engine  (a  relic  of  the  visit 
by  the  Americans  several  years  before)  was 
well  protected  so  that  a  man  could  stand  behind 
it  without  danger  from  arrows,  spears,  or  any 
other  weapons  except  that  upon  which  we 
counted  so  much  ourselves,  dynamite.  Indeed, 


22  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

everything  was  made  as  perfect  as  possible  for 
this  expedition. 

I  could  not  but  smile  as  I  looked  at  the  bow. 
Painted  in  large  black  letters  on  each  side 
of  the  white  prow  were  the  words: 

HAIL  COLUMBIA,  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

I  surveyed  the  boat  and  the  patriotic  name 
and  looking  at  my  friend  with  a  smile,  said : 

"Higgenbottom,  I'll  go  with  you  down  the 
Pilcomayo. ' 9 


CHAPTEE  II 

"IF  YOU  STIR  YOU  ARE  A  DEAD  MAN!" 

PEECY  HIGGENBOTTOM  was  a  genius 
in  more  than  one  respect.  I  never  met 
a  man  who  possessed  his  mechanical  in- 
genuity. 

Closer  examination  of  the  craft,  which  he 
had  christened  the  Hail  Columbia,  proved  it  to 
be  a  model  in  every  way.  The  small  engine  at 
the  stern  was  so  screened  by  planking  that  noth- 
ing less  than  a  cannon  ball  could  harm  it.  The 
pilot  house,  near  the  bow,  was  equally  strong, 
and  a  band  of  heavy  glass  on  all  sides  allowed 
the  occupant  to  peer  out  in  every  direction 
without  fear  of  being  hit  by  any  missiles  such 
as  natives  would  be  apt  to  hurl.  The  bunks 
forward  effectually  screened  the  sleepers  from 
any  hostile  shots. 

Each  man  was  furnished  with  a  Winchester 
rifle,  and  there  was  abundance  of  ammunition. 
I  was  the  only  one  without  a  weapon  of  this 
sort,  and  there  was  no  means  of  procuring  one 
in  Sucre. 

23 


24  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

I  looked  upon  this  after  all  as  a  small  mat- 
ter, since  it  was  not  likely  that  all  five  would 
ever  be  so  placed  that  they  could  use  the  guns 
with  advantage  at  the  same  time. 

In  such  a  warm  country  as  the  plateaus  and 
lowlands  of  Bolivia  and  Argentine,  fruit  con- 
stitutes the  principal  food,  though  elk  and  deer 
are  frequently  met.  We  took  with  us  a  goodly 
supply  of  cocoa,  rice,  coffee,  tobacco  and  sugar, 
all  of  which  grow  abundantly  in  the  region. 

Besides  this,  there  are  immense  herds  of 
horned  cattle,  horses,  asses  and  mules,  which 
roam  over  the  succulent,  grassy  plains. 

Further  down  in  Argentine,  the  cinchona,  or 
quinine  bark,  abounds,  besides  sarsaparilla, 
jalap,  cedars,  the  American  pine,  algaroba  or 
carob  tree,  whose  fruit  affords  not  only  nour- 
ishing food,  but  the  refreshing  drink  laaga. 

From  Sucre  southeastward  for  three  hundred 
miles,  the  Pilcomayo  flows  through  a  wild, 
rocky  section,  growing  less  hilly  until  at  the 
point  named  the  character  of  the  country  has 
gradually  changed  to  a  level  plain  or  lowland. 
This  is  the  beginning  of  that  vast  pampa  known 
as  the  Gran  Chaco,  where  the  untamable  Tobas 
roam,  on  the  alert  to  attack  every  stranger  that 
dares  enter  their  country. 

The  three  natives  who  composed  the  crew  of 


"IF  YOU  STIR  YOU  ARE  A  DEAD  MAN!"      25 

the  Hail  Columbia  were  partly  of  negro  blood, 
docile,  obedient  and  given  to  few  words.  The 
one  who  had  been  taught  to  manage  the  engine 
was  the  eldest  and  was  in  middle  life,  quite 
wrinkled  and,  like  his  companions,  had  immense 
bushy  hair  and  wore  no  clothing  except  a 
breech  clout. 

He  was  named  Padro,  and  the  others  were 
Hernandez  and  Armetia.  They  reminded  me 
of  the  meek  Chinamen,  as  they  toiled  willingly, 
silently  and  patiently. 

A  striking  evidence  of  the  shiftless  character 
of  the  people  in  that  part  of  the  world  was  that 
when  we  started  early  the  next  morning  after 
the  interview  I  have  described,there  was  not 
a  single  man,  woman  or  child  on  the  bank  to 
watch  us,  even  though  the  little  steamer  was  a 
novel  sight  to  them. 

Since  the  course  of  the  Pilcomayo  for  a  con- 
siderable distance  is  very  rough,  Higgenbottom 
was  wise  in  making  his  craft  draw  the  least 
possible  water.  He  knew  that  boats  of  greater 
draft  had  preceded  him  and  he  was  confident 
that  with  the  high  water  he  could  safely  make 
the  descent  to  the  level  country  below. 

I  had  no  intention  of  being  a  simple  passen- 
ger on  this  voyage,  which  was  to  prove  the  most 
eventful  of  our  lives.  I  had  given  my  friend 


26  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

to  understand  that  I  would  not  consent  to  share 
in  the  price  he  expected  to  receive  for  making 
his  venture,  and  I  meant  to  give  him  all  the 
help  I  could.  After  watching  him  for  some 
time  managing  the  wheel  with  a  skill  I  could  not 
hope  to  equal,  I  remarked  that  I  would  wait 
until  the  stream  became  broader  and  smoother 
before  taking  my  trick,  and  in  the  mean  time 
would  serve  as  engineer  for  a  part  of  the  time. 

The  engine  worked  with  perfect  smoothness. 
We  had  piled  enough  wood  aboard  to  last  us 
throughout  the  day,  it  being  our  intention  to 
lie  to  at  night,  after  replenishing  our  supply, 
for  it  was  altogether  too  risky  to  plunge  down 
the  narrow,  boisterous  stream  except  by  day- 
light. 

It  will  be  noted  that  for  the  time  most  of  the 
work  devolved  upon  Higgenbottom  and  myself. 
He  gave  his  whole  attention  to  the  steering, 
while  I  manipulated  the  engine. 

This  proved  so  monotonous  after  a  time  that 
I  turned  it  over  to  Padro,  who  had  been  acting 
as  fireman,  and,  going  forward,  entered  the 
pilot  house,  which  was  just  large  enough  to 
hold  both  of  us  and  still  give  my  friend  freedom 
in  managing  the  wheel. 

There  was  no  lack  of  excitement  in  my  new 
position.  Little  was  attempted  in  the  way  of 


"IF  YOU  STIR  YOU  ARE  A  DEAD  MAN!"     27 

conversation,  for  Higgenbottom  's  wits  were  oc- 
cupied and  I  was  deeply  interested  in  watching 
him.  There  were  deep,  impenetrable  woods  on 
the  right  and  left,  the  rocks  often  towering  to 
the  height  of  ten,  twenty  and  even  fifty  feet. 
The  rushing  torrent  was  crested  with  foam, 
whirling  in  eddies  about  boulders,  plunging 
swiftly  forward  for  several  hundred  yards, 
like  a  raceway,  then  broadening  out  into  triple 
its  usual  width,  with  a  more  sluggish  flow,  and 
again  spinning  between  obstructions,  the  sight 
of  which  caused  me  to  catch  my  breath. 

"It  only  needs  one  collision  with  some  of 
those  half  sunken  rocks  to  wind  up  the  career 
of  the  Hail  Columbia,"  I  remarked,  and  my 
friend  nodded  his  head  without  speaking,  as  he 
gave  the  wheel  a  quick  turn. 

For  hundreds  of  miles  after  leaving  Sucre 
there  is  no  village  or  settlement  of  whatever 
nature  on  either  bank  of  the  Pilcomayo.  Some 
of  the  natives  occasionally  approach  the  stream, 
but  this  takes  place  so  rarely  that  neither  Hig- 
genbottom nor  I  gave  it  a  thought. 

We  knew  there  was  little  peril  of  that  nature 
to  be  feared  until  we  approached  El  Gran 
Chaco,  which  had  been  fatal  to  every  explorer 
who  attempted  to  force  his  way  through  it. 

The  noon  had  passed  but  a  short  time  when 


28  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

the  captain  pulled  the  cord  attached  to  a  little 
bell  over  the  engine  as  a  signal  for  Padro  to 
shut  off  steam.  This  was  done,  and  the  craft 
was  turned  to  the  right  and  run  close  to  land, 
where  Hernandez  and  Armetia,  in  obedience  to 
orders,  sprang  ashore  and  made  a  rope  fast  to 
the  trunk  of  a  tree.  The  landing  could  not 
have  been  effected  more  easily. 

"Anything  the  matter ?"  I  asked,  as  the  cap- 
tain left  the  wheel  and  passed  out  of  the  pilot 
house. 

"I  think  not,  but  it  is  better  to  examine  the 
engine ;  it  is  new  and  there  is  probably  friction 
in  some  part. ' ' 

He  passed  aft  and  made  a  careful  inspection 
of  all  the  bearings  and  machinery.  He  care- 
fully re-oiled  every  portion,  after  which  we 
stepped  ashore,  on  his  suggestion  that  we  might 
as  well  take  our  dinner  there. 

We  placed  our  fruit  upon  a  broad,  flat  stone, 
close  to  the  edge  of  the  stream,  Percy  and  I  by 
ourselves,  while  the  crew  sat  a  short  distance 
off,  similarly  occupied.  The  water  was  clear 
and  cold,  and  each  used  his  tin  cup  in  making 
coffee. 

"It  is  risky  business,"  I  remarked,  "but  you 
could  not  have  guided  the  boat  better  had  you 
spent  your  life  on  this  stream." 


"IF  YOU  STIR  YOU  ARE  A  DEAD  MAN!"     29 

"My  heart  was  in  my  mouth  more  than 
once,"  replied  the  captain,  with  a  grin  and 
shake  of  his  head ;  ' '  the  river  is  clearer  than  I 
expected  to  find  it,  but  some  of  the  sunken 
rocks  I  could  not  locate  until  the  boat  was  al- 
most over  them.  I  felt  it  scrape  them  several 
times,  but,"  he  added  with  a  sigh  of  relief, 
"matters  will  improve  as  we  get  further 
down. ' ' 

"Yes,  in  that  respect,  but  they'll  be  much 
worse  in  another." 

"You  have  the  Tobas  in  mind;  won't  they 
be  surprised  when  she  sneezes  at  them?"  he 
asked,  winking  toward  the  slim  brass  piece  at 
the  bow.  "I  should  have  liked  to  use  com- 
pressed air,  but  hadn't  the  means  of  working 
it,  and  the  spring  will  do  the  business  well 
enough." 

"You  won't  let  any  of  the  crew  handle  that 
gun?" 

"Not  much;  I  won't  let  even  you,  for  no  one 
besides  myself  understands  the  full  construc- 
tion of  the  piece  and  how  to  aim  it." 

"The  trouble  with  those  things  is  that  they 
are  sometimes  as  dangerous  to  those  at  the 
breach  as  at  the  muzzle." 

"Not  when  one  knows  his  business  but " 

My    friend,    sitting   crossed   legged   on   the 


30  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

other  side  of  the  stone,  the  same  as  myself,  was 
in  the  act  of  raising  his  tin  cup  filled  with 
steaming  coffee  to  his  lips,  when  he  abruptly 
stayed  his  hand,  and  instantly  a  look  of  horror 
came  into  his  eyes  and  overspread  his  face. 

At  first  I  thought  he  was  looking  at  me,  but 
immediately  I  perceived  he  was  staring  at 
something  behind  me.  By  a  superhuman  ef- 
fort, he  regained  his  self  control  and  in  a  husky 
whisper  said: 

' '  Windermyer,  keep  your  nerve !  If  you  stir 
you  are  a  dead  man!" 

I  was  petrified  as  much  by  his  looks  and  man- 
ner as  by  his  words.  I  felt  the  cold  perspira- 
tion break  out  over  my  body,  but  I  fixed  my 
eyes  upon  him,  as  if  I  were  a  drowning  man 
and  was  watching  a  boat  approaching. 

I  heard  nothing,  felt  nothing,  saw  nothing 
but  him,  and  yet  somewhere  behind  me  and 
within  arm's  reach  and  steadily  drawing  nearer 
was  death  in  one  of  its  most  horrible  forms. 

"For  God's  sake,"  I  gasped  in  an  appalled 
whisper ; '  '  end  the  suspense  in  some  way,  Percy, 
for  I  cannot  stand  this  more  than  a  second 
longer. ' ' 

"You  must!"  he  whispered  in  turn;  "keep 
your  nerve;  don't  move  hand  or  foot;  act  as  if 
you  were  a  dead  man;  don't  take  your  eyes 
from  my  face ! ' ' 


CHAPTEE  III 

ONE  OF  BOLIVIA'S  ANIMAL  PRODUCTS 

AT  THIS  moment  I  perceived  that  my 
friend,  who  was  sitting  as  motionless  as 
a  statue,  was  slowly  lowering  his  right 
hand  to  his  hip,  where  one  of  his  revolvers  re- 
posed. He  did  not  change  the  fixed  stare  at 
the  object,  whatever  it  might  be,  which  was  be- 
hind me. 

He  was  about  to  draw  his  weapon,  but  why 
such  frightful  deliberation?  Evidently  he  was 
afraid  of  startling  my  enemy  into  lightning- 
like  action,  by  some  abrupt  movement  of  his 
own.  Summoning  all  the  power  I  possessed,  I 
compressed  my  lips,  held  my  breath,  and  fixed 
my  eyes  unalterably  upon  Higgenbottom  ?s 
face. 

I  saw  his  muscular  fingers  close  around  the 
butt  of  his  pistol,  which  began  tardily  creeping 
upward  until  the  shining  barrel  rose  to  view. 
Then  with  the  same  dreadful  slowness  the  arm 
commenced  straightening  out,  with  the  revol- 

31 


32  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

ver  so  pointed  that  I  saw  the  reflected  sun- 
light gleaming  in  the  muzzle. 

The  man  was  aiming  at  my  foe,  though  any 
one  standing  ten  feet  distant  would  have  sworn 
he  was  about  to  shoot  me.  In  that  fearful  mo- 
ment, I  watched  his  forefinger  gradually  in- 
creasing its  pressure  upon  the  trigger  and  then, 
unable  to  hold  my  breath  longer,  I  gave  a 
gasping,  half  shriek  and  pitched  forward  on 
my  face. 

At  the  same  instant  the  crack  of  the  pistol 
rang  out  and  my  friend's  cherry  voice  called: 

"It's  all  right,  Windermyer!  That  critter 
will  never  hurt  you!" 

Quickly  rallying,  as  my  comrade  sprang  to 
his  feet  and  fired  a  second  shot,  I  leaped  over 
the  broad  flat  stone  between  us,  and  as  I  placed 
myself  at  his  side,  looked  behind  me. 

A  serpent  no  more  than  two  feet  in  length 
was  threshing  the  ground,  rolling  over,  twisting 
and  doubling  upon  itself  so  rapidly,  that  it  was 
half  a  minute  before  I  perceived  it  was  head- 
less; but  its  frantic  struggles  suddenly  ceased 
and  it  lay  motionless,  dead  as  dead  could  be. 

"What  has  become  of  its  head?"  was  my 
nonsensical  question,  for  I  was  still  dazed  and 
hardly  conscious  of  what  I  said. 

"I  suspect  it  will  be  found  somewhere  in  the 


ONE  OF  BOLIVIA'S  ANIMAL  PRODUCTS      33 

Gran  Chaco  or  the  Argentine  Confederation," 
was  the  characteristic  reply;  "at  any  rate,  it 
vanished  when  I  pulled  trigger  the  first  time, 
so  my  second  shot  was  wasted. ' ' 

Assured  that  all  danger  was  over,  we  stepped 
closer  to  the  body  and  looked  at  it  more  criti- 
cally. 

It  was  beautifully  marked  with  dark  red  and 
yellowish  stripes  running  transversely  the 
length  of  the  reptile,  upon  a  background  of  bril- 
liant black.  Two  proofs  of  its  venomous  na- 
ture were  noticeable,  or  rather  had  been  notice- 
able. The  tail  was  obtuse  and  the  triangular 
head,  as  my  rescuer  explained,  had  two  deep 
pits  in  front  of  the  tiny  eyes.  The  latter  pecul- 
iarity is  an  invariable  sign  of  a  poisonous  ser- 
pent. 

"I  don't  know  the  name  of  the  infernal 
thing,"  said  Higgenbottom,  "but  if  there  ever 
was  concentrated  deviltry  and  the  essence  of 
death  wrapped  up  in  one  package,  it  is  there. 
I  told  you  that  when  I  tramped  from  Concep- 
tion to  Sucre  I  had  three  native  companions 
— the  same  that  are  with  me  now.  I  started 
with  four,  but  one  of  them  was  stung  in  the 
hand  by  that  sort  of  serpent,  while  sitting  at 
dinner  just  as  you  were,  and  ten  minutes  later 
he  was  as  dead  as  a  door  nail." 

3 


34  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

"Why  didn't  it  strike  me?" 

"Because  it  was  a  little  slow.  You  saw  me 
start,  the  moment  before  I  warned  you  not  to 
stir.  Where  the  devilish  thing  came  from  I 
couldn't  tell,  but  just  then  I  saw  it  coiled  not 
more  than  a  foot  from  your  elbow,  in  the  exact 
position  to  strike.  Its  head  lay  in  the  center 
of  the  coil,  for  all  the  world  like  one  of  our  own 
rattlesnakes,  and  its  crimson  forked  tongue  was 
darting  in  and  out,  and  its  beady  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  you  in  a  way  that  meant  business 
from  the  word  go. 

"Providentially  you  were  listening  to  some- 
thing I  happened  to  be  saying  at  that  moment, 
and  the  serpent  seemed  to  be  in  doubt  whether 
you  were  a  live  target  and  fair  game  or  not. 
It  was  waiting  to  settle  the  question  before 
striking,  which  was  why  I  warned  you  not  to 
stir.  My  voice  seemed  to  attract  its  attention 
for  a  second  or  two  to  me,  and  I  should  have 
been  glad  could  I  have  drawn  its  attack,  for  I 
was  prepared  and  in  no  danger.  Probably  it 
confused  your  voice  with  my  own  and  your 
rigid  position  kept  up  its  doubt. 

"My  fear  was  that  any  abrupt  movement  on 
my  part  would  precipitate  its  attack  upon  you. 
That  explains  the  care  with  which  I  drew  my 


ONE  OF  BOLIVIA'S  ANIMAL  PRODUCTS      35 

revolver.  The  abrupt  action  came  when  the 
trigger  was  pulled. ' ' 

"You  couldn't  have  made  a  better  shot." 

"Bah !  how  could  I  miss,  when  the  target  was 
less  than  ten  feet  distant?" 

"I  always  supposed  the  deadliest  snakes 
were  in  India," 

* '  That  land  has  more  than  any  other  part  of 
the  world,  but  every  tropical  region  has  its 
share.  The  cobra  di  capello  is  ranked  by  scien- 
tists as  the  most  deadly  serpent  in  the  world, 
but  I  think  this  species  runs  it  a  close  second. 
I  wonder  whether  our  headless  enemy  has  a 
mate  near,"  and  Higgenbottom,  revolver  in 
hand,  began  looking  about  him. 

The  possibility  of  such  being  the  fact  sent  a 
shiver  through  me,  and,  whipping  out  my  own 
weapon,  I  glanced  at  my  feet  and  here  and 
there  around,  ready  to  fire  and  retreat  on  the 
first  warning. 

Our  flurry  had  thrown  the  three  natives,  sit- 
ting a  short  distance  away,  into  the  greatest  ex- 
citement. They  bounded  to  their  feet  on  the  in- 
stant the  captain's  weapon  was  discharged,  and 
were  hurrying  toward  us,  when  Padro  uttered 
a  terrified  cry,  and  seemed  to  leap  fully  six  feet 
from  the  ground.  His  companions  bounded  in 


36  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

different  directions  as  if  a  bomb  had  exploded 
between  them. 

"There's  another  I"  exclaimed  the  captain, 
running  toward  the  spot. 

But  Padro  anticipated  him.  Eetreating  be- 
fore the  serpent,  which  showed  its  amazing  au- 
dacity by  gliding  straight  toward  him,  he 
caught  up  a  fragment  of  rock  that  must  have 
weighed  eight  or  ten  pounds,  and  hurled  it 
fiercely  at  his  enemy,  and  the  thing  was  crushed 
to  a  pulp  under  the  formidable  missile. 

"Captain,"  said  I,  "we  seem  to  have  struck 
a  settlement  of  these  pests ;  I  favor  a  change  of 
base." 

6 '  There 's  no  need  of  waiting  longer, 9 '  he  re- 
plied. 

The  rope  was  unwound  from  the  tree  and  we 
sprang  aboard.  I  took  charge  of  the  engine 
for  a  while,  and  we  were  speedily  spinning 
down  stream  with  Captain  Higgenbottom  at  the 
wheel  as  before. 

The  character  of  the  country  through  which 
we  were  passing  underwent  no  perceptible 
change  for  a  considerable  time.  Bocks  and 
boulders  lined  the  bank  and  the  dense  forests, 
composed  of  an  endless  variety  of  woods, 
walled  us  in  on  both  sides. 

One  gratifying  fact  was  beyond  dispute :  the 


ONE  OF  BOLIVIA'S  ANIMAL  PRODUCTS      37 

upper  Pilcomayo  was  becoming  broader  and 
smoother,  good  reason  for  believing  our  boat 
would  find  less  and  less  difficulty  in  speeding 
down  stream. 

Still  there  could  be  no  assurance  on  this 
point.  In  truth,  the  presumption  was  that  we 
should  encounter  more  than  one  dangerous,  if 
not  impassable  portion,  for  many  miles  of 
mountainous  region  were  before  us,  and  it 
would  be  strange  if  the  river  were  not  broken 
by  canyons,  rapids,  cataracts  and  waterfalls. 

During  a  discussion  of  this  phase  of  the 
question,  before  we  started,  I  asked  Higgen- 
bottom  what  he  would  do,  in  the  event  of  being 
confronted  by  such  a  state  of  affairs. 

"There's  only  one  thing  that  can  be  done," 
was  his  reply;  "we'll  take  the  Hail  Columbia 
apart,  carry  it  piecemeal  below  the  impassable 
place,  and  put  it  together  again." 

"What  a  task!" 

"There's  nothing  so  tremendous  about  it; 
these  three  natives  and  I  built  the  boat  in  the 
first  place,  and  since  every  part  has  been  fitted, 
there  may  be  a  good  deal  of  hard  labor,  but 
nothing  impossible  of  accomplishment.  All  the 
same,  I  hope  the  necessity  may  not  arise. ' ' 

"So  do  I,"  was  my  fervent  response,  as  I 
recalled  the  small  but  heavy  boiler,  and  other 


38  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

portions  which  would  prove  a  cumbersome  bur- 
den for  the  five  of  us. 

Turning  over  the  care  of  the  engine  to  Padro 
I  went  forward  and  entered  the  wheelhouse  be- 
side the  captain,  who  showed  his  unruffled  mind 
by  smoking  one  of  his  black,  heavy  cigars. 

"Now  if  the  Pilcornayo  will  only  behave  it- 
self, ' '  he  said,  with  his  keen  gray  eyes  scanning 
the  bubbling  current  ahead,  "I  can't  see  why 
this  excursion  of  ours  to  Asuncion  may  not 
prove  a  pleasant  picnic." 

What  do  you  mean  by  the  river  '  behaving 
itself?" 

"Why,  doing  as  it  is  now  doing — broaden- 
ing out  and  growing  smoother  until  it  becomes 
the  most  pleasant  kind  of  stream  for  the  Hail 
Columbia  to  navigate." 

"Whatever  its  course  and  condition,  the  men 
who  have  attempted  its  passage  during  the  past 
century  and  a  half  and  more,  had  the  same  ad- 
vantage that  you  will  have." 

"You  persist  in  overlooking  one  of  the  most 
important  factors  in  the  game,  which  is  the 
slight  draft  of  the  Hail  Columbia,  which  allows 
it  to  travel  where  mighty  few  craft  in  the 
world  can  go." 

"What  do  you  mean  to  do  when  the  Tobas  at- 
tack you,  as  they  certainly  will?" 


ONE  OF  BOLIVIA'S  ANIMAL  PRODUCTS      39 

The  gray  eyes  flashed  as  he  replied : 

' '  I  shall  be  disappointed,  if  they  let  us  alone. 
In  the  first  place,  this  boat  can  outrun  any  of 
their  canoes  and  it  will  be  high  old  fun  to  dash 
among  them  at  our  topmost  speed.  You  com- 
mented this  morning  on  the  sharpness  of  our 
prow,  which  may  prove  more  useful  than  you 
suspected.  Then,  too,"  he  added  with  his  grin, 
"I'm  anxious  for  Uncle  Sam  to  have  a  chance 
to  say  *  Howdy?'  to  a  few  hundred  of  the  in- 
quiring aborigines." 

It  was  impossible  for  me  to  share  the  hope- 
fulness of  my  friend,  but  I  said  nothing  to  cool 
his  ardor.  We  were  in  for  it  and  all  that  was 
left  for  us  was  to  push  ahead,  trusting  to  Provi- 
dence and  our  pluck  and  good  luck. 

Looking  down  stream,  we  saw  that  the  river, 
which  was  fully  fifty  yards  in  width,  was  fast 
growing  narrower.  At  the  same  time,  the  mas- 
sive walls  became  more  lofty  and  a  compara- 
tively short  distance  in  advance,  they  towered 
two  or  three  hundred  feet  above  the  surface, 
the  wooded  crests  approaching  so  close  in  some 
places  that  it  looked  as  if  a  man  might  leap 
across,  though  obviously  such  could  not  be  the 
case. 

"Captain,"  I  said,  after  a  moment's  scrutiny 


40  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

of  the  river,  i '  it  looks  as  if  we  are  approaching 


a  canyon." 


6 '  There  isn't  any  doubt  of  it,"  he  calmly  re- 
plied; "I  don't  know  how  extensive  it  is,  but 
we  must  go  ahead,  hit  or  miss." 


CHAPTEE  IV 

A  PERILOUS  PLUNGE 

I  WAS  terrified,  for  surely  this  reckless, 
headlong  style  of  going  forward  must 
bring  disaster. 

"Why  don't  you  stop  and  make  an  examina- 
tion of  the  canyon?"  I  asked,  laying  my  hand 
on  his  arm. 

"It's  too  late;  we're  going  too  fast,  and 
there's  no  place  to  land,  even  if  we  cared  to  do 
it ;  brace  yourself  and  trust  to  heaven. ' ' 

He  was  right.  The  current  was  plunging  on- 
ward with  the  speed  of  a  race  horse,  and  the 
most  furious  reversal  of  the  screw  would  not 
check  the  boat.  Each  side  of  the  narrow 
stream  was  a  solid  wall  of  dripping  rock.  We 
must  dive  forward,  and,  as  he  had  said,  it  all 
rested  with  Providence  whether  we  should 
emerge  alive  or  be  dashed  to  death. 

The  next  moment,  the  craft,  as  if  aware  of 
its  fearful  peril,  plunged  into  the  narrow  pas- 
sage and  shot  ahead  with  dizzying  speed.  I 
held  my  breath,  while  the  captain  smoked  his 

41 


42  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

cigar,  grasped  the  spokes  of  the  wheel  and  re- 
mained as  cool  as  an  iceberg. 
,  He  had  signalled  to  Padro  to  shut  off  steam, 
and  we  were  now  at  the  mercy  of  the  resistless 
current,  which  tossed  us  about  as  if  the  Hail 
Columbia  were  an  eggshell. 

It  was  like  the  Maid  of  the  Mist  careering 
through  the  whirlpool  below  Niagara.  Now  we 
shot  upward  on  the  crest  of  an  immense  wave, 
then  were  whirled  sideways,  again  spun  clear 
around  like  a  top,  and  all  the  time  we  were 
speeding  forward  with  a  swiftness  that  fairly 
took  away  one's  breath. 

I  involuntarily  closed  my  eyes  when  certain 
that  we  were  about  to  crash  against  the  rocks 
in  front,  and  be  shattered  to  a  thousand  frag- 
ments, but  I  opened  them  again  when  I  heard 
and  felt  the  grating  of  the  sharp  prow  against 
the  dripping  mountain  wall.  The  captain  was 
tugging  at  the  wheel,  though  all  his  efforts  were 
useless,  since  we  were  wholly  helpless. 

Mist  and  spray  were  everywhere.  Glancing 
through  the  open  window  behind  me,  I  saw  all 
three  of  the  natives  on  their  knees,  hands 
clasped  and  their  ashy  lips  trembling  with  peti- 
tions to  the  saints  to  save  them  from  impending 
death. 

It  was  indeed  a  time  for  an  appeal  to  Heaven, 


"It's  too  late,  we're  going  too  fast." 


A  PERILOUS  PLUNGE  43 

and  I  never  prayed  more  fervently,  as  I  stood 
with  feet  apart  and  holding  on  for  dear  life  to 
each  side  of  the  narrow  pilot  house. 

The  coolness  of  Percy  Higgenbottom  was  not 
the  least  amazing  feature  of  the  awful  drive 
through  that  canyon.  Never  once  did  he  re- 
move his  cigar  from  between  his  set  teeth,  and 
the  occasional  puffs  which  showed  through  the 
whirling  mist  proved  that  he  was  extracting 
some  sort  of  a  solace  from  the  nicotine. 

He  kept  turning  the  wheel  to  the  right  or  left, 
but  he  must  have  known  it  was  labor  wasted. 
Perhaps  it  was  a  relief  to  his  tense  nerves. 

The  seconds  were  minutes  in  length.  The 
tunnel-like  passage  wound  in  and  out,  turning 
one  way  and  then  another  so  abruptly  that  it 
was  impossible  to  see  plainly  for  more  than  a 
hundred  yards  in  advance  and  oftener  not  that 
far.  Why  the  craft  was  not  shattered  to  atoms 
is  more  than  I  can  ever  understand,  but  sud- 
denly the  voice  of  my  friend  rang  out : 

"Hurrah!     That  was  well  done!" 

We  were  through  the  canyon  and  gliding  into 
the  broadening  and  comparatively  smooth 
waters  below.  All  danger  for  the  time  was 
over. 

The  captain  rang  for  Padro  to  give  the  craft 
steam,  but  he  had  to  repeat  the  signal  several 


44  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

times  before  the  dazed  fellow  understood  what 
was  required  of  him.  Then  I  heard  the  screw 
churning  the  waters,  and  as  the  captain  whirled 
the  wheel  over,  the  boat  circled  about  and 
headed  up  stream,  as  if  it  were  about  to  try  to 
force  its  way  back  through  the  canyon. 

Before  I  could  understand  the  meaning  of 
this  strange  action,  Higgenbottom  called  to  me: 

"Here,  Windermyer!  Take  the  wheel  and 
hold  her  nose  just  as  it  is!" 

As  I  took  his  place  and  gripped  the  spokes, 
he  opened  the  little  door  in  front  and  hurried 
to  the  bow.  The  dynamite  cartridges  reposed 
in  a  box  beside  the  gun,  the  box  being  nailed  in 
position,  so  that  it  could  not  be  displaced  by  any 
violent  motion  of  the  boat. 

I  saw  him  pick  up  one  of  the  cartridges  and 
carefully  push  it  into  the  throat  of  Uncle  Sam, 
forcing  it  gently  to  the  breach,  with  the  swab 
or  ramrod  provided  for  that  purpose. 

The  captain  was  about  to  discharge  the  piece 
and  I  looked  around  to  discover  the  target. 

There  it  was  on  the  crest  of  the  high  bank 
just  behind  us,  in  the  form  of  the  largest  jaguar 
upon  which  I  have  ever  looked.  The  animal, 
known  as  the  American  tiger,  is  found  from 
Texas  to  Patagonia. 

It  is  robust,  stouter  than  the  leopard  and 


A  PERILOUS  PLUNGE  45 

powerfully  built,  its  tail  barely  reaching  the 
ground  when  it  stands  erect,  and  it  is  one  of 
the  most  dreaded  of  all  the  wild  beasts  of  the 
American  forest. 

The  animal  before  us  was  standing  on  the 
edge  of  the  rocky  bluff,  fully  a  hundred  feet 
above,  and  double  that  distance  away.  Al- 
though the  species  is  noted  for  its  curiosity, 
this  one  was  evidently  surveying  the  craft  with 
wondering  amazement,  for  it  surely  had  never 
seen  anything  of  the  kind  until  then. 

Its  somewhat  clumsy  form  was  outlined 
against  the  clear  sky  beyond,  as  if  painted 
thereon  with  a  brush,  its  head  being  high,  while 
it  stood  as  rigid  as  a  statue  in  bronze. 

Having  adjusted  his  dynamite  cartridge, 
Captain  Higgenbottom  held  the  cord  connected 
with  the  spring  in  the  base  of  the  gun,  calmly 
waiting  till  the  tossing  stern  should  be  at  the 
right  elevation  before  he  discharged  the  piece. 
Carefully  studying  the  motion  of  the  craft,  he 
suddenly  gave  the  string  a  sharp  jerk.  I  heard 
the  rattle  of  the  released  spring,  a  peculiar 
whirring,  coughing  noise,  and  then  saw  the  ob- 
long missile  leap  out  of  the  muzzle,  and  de- 
scribing a  graceful  parabola,  the  conical  point 
impinged  fairly  against  the  solid  rock,  some 
twenty  feet  below  where  the  jaguar  stood. 


46  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

The  explosion  that  followed  was  terrific, 
fragments  of  the  stone  dropping  on  the  Hail 
Columbia  like  hailstones,  while  the  jar  of  the 
hull  was  perceptible  beneath  our  feet.  The 
wonder  is  that  the  boat  did  not  suffer  injury. 

But  the  jaguar — oh,  where  was  he? 

Through  the  tempest  of  splintered  rock  that 
flew  high  in  air,  I  saw  him  seemingly  leap  to  a 
prodigious  height,  but,  coming  down,  he  missed 
the  rock,  his  elongated  body  tumbling  end  over 
end  through  the  misty  space  into  the  foaming 
torrent,  where  it  sank  as  if  it  were  so  much  lead. 

The  captain  snatched  off  his  Panama  and 
swung  it  above  his  head. 

"What  do  you  think  of  that?"  he  called, 
turning  his  grinning  countenance  toward  me. 

i '  I  did  not  see  that  he  was  struck. ' ' 

"He  wasn't;  the  concussion  simply  raised 
him  and  when  he  came  down  he  missed  his  foot- 
ing ;  the  miserable  critter  was  scared  to  death. ' ' 

"Scared  to  death!"  I  repeated;  "if  he  had 
not  been  desperately  hurt,  he  would  have  swum 
to  shore." 

"He  was  too  frightened  to  swim,"  insisted 
the  captain,  reentering  the  pilot  house  and 
bringing  the  bow  of  the  boat  down  stream.  "I 
sent  that  shell  by  way  of  experiment  and  it 
worked  beautifully." 


A  PERILOUS  PLUNGE  47 

He  was  as  delighted  as  a  boy  over  the  inci- 
dent, but  I  could  not  join  him  in  his  reiterated 
wish  that  the  Tobas  would  attack  the  boat. 

For  the  following  ten  or  twelve  miles  our 
progress  was  smooth  and  even.  The  Pilco- 
mayo  maintained  its  increased  width  as  com- 
pared with  the  portion  above  the  canyon,  and 
the  current  was  not  only  deep,  but  compara- 
tively free  from  rocks  and  obstructions  such  as 
kept  us  in  suspense  and  peril  earlier  in  the  day. 

The  dangerous  passage  had  been  effected 
when  the  afternoon  was  about  half  gone,  and  at 
the  end  of  the  distance  named,  the  captain  be- 
gan studying  the  banks  on  either  side  in  quest 
of  a  suitable  place  to  lay  to  for  the  night. 

It  did  not  take  him  long  to  find  a  favorable 
spot,  and  running  the  boat  to  the  right,  the 
rope  was  again  fastened  around  the  trunk  of  a 
tree,  and  we  went  ashore  at  a  place  similar  in 
many  respects  to  the  one  where  he  had  halted 
for  lunch. 

About  three-fourths  of  the  fuel  had  been  con- 
sumed, and  the  crew,  each  with  an  axe  over  his 
shoulder,  entered  the  dense  woods,  where  some 
of  the  trees  grew  so  close  together  that  a  man 
had  to  move  sideways  to  force  his  way  between 
them. 

The  great  dread  of  the  natives  was  of  poison- 


48  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

ous  serpents  and  wild  beasts.  Fortunately,  it 
was  not  necessary  for  them  to  go  more  than  a 
short  distance  from  the  boat,  and  Padro  took 
his  Winchester  with  him.  They  completed 
their  task  without  molestation  from  any  of  the 
denizens  of  the  wilderness. 

While  they  were  thus  engaged,  the  captain 
and  I  started  a  fire  underneath  the  trees  near 
the  stream  and  prepared  our  coffee.  Higgen- 
bottom  had  brought  a  quantity  of  jerked  or 
dried  deer's  meat  with  him,  which  suggested 
the  pemmican,  so  popular  in  cold  latitudes. 
This  with  our  black,  hard  bread,  our  coffee  and 
delicious  fruit,  made  as  palatable  a  meal  as  one 
could  wish. 

Since  indeed  a  considerable  supply  remained, 
and  we  had  brought  a  small  barrel  of  the 
coarse  native  flour,  and  sugar  and  cocoa,  it 
looked  as  if  we  should  not  be  compelled  to  use 
our  firearms  very  often  to  secure  additional 
provisions.  Milk  and  butter,  of  course,  were 
out  of  the  question.  Both  of  us  had  learned 
long  before  that  it  is  no  hardship  to  go  without 
them  when  one  has  an  abundance  of  the  other 
necessities  of  life. 

By  the  time  our  evening  meal  was  finished 
and  the  boat  was  heaped  up  with  all  the  wood 
it  could  carry  conveniently,  night  was  closing 


A  PERILOUS  PLUNGE  49 

in.  Not  a  serpent  or  wild  animal  had  disturbed 
us,  though  they  might  appear  at  any  moment. 
The  peculiar  cries  of  birds,  some  strangely 
musical  and  other  harsh  and  discordant, 
sounded  from  all  portions  of  the  forest,  and  it 
is  remarkable  how  soon  one  becomes  accus- 
tomed to  them. 

It  was  arranged  that  the  crew  should  sleep 
on  board  the  steamer,  where  they  seemed  to 
feel  more  secure  than  on  land,  while  the  cap- 
tain and  I  were  to  spend  the  night  ashore. 

"We  shall  have  to  keep  to  our  cramped 
quarters  on  the  boat  so  much  of  the  time,"  he 
explained,  "that  we  shall  often  yearn  for  a 
place  to  stretch  our  limbs ;  let  us,  therefore,  use 
the  chance  while  it  is  ours,  for  it  won't  do  to 
try  anything  of  the  kind  in  the  land  of  the 
Tobas." 


CHAPTER  V 

A  STARTLING  AWAKENING 

CAPTAIN  HIGGENBOTTON  was  too  wise 
to  think  of  sleeping  on  the  ground  in  a 
South  American  forest,  where  the  wealth 
of  animal  and  insect  life  renders  exposure  dan- 
gerous and  often  fatal.  Moreover,  as  is  the 
case  in  Cuba,  the  heavy  dews  are  almost  sure 
to  cause  illness,  often  followed  by  fevers  and 
death. 

It  is  a  fact,  however,  regarding  the  Argentine 
Republic,  Bolivia  and  many  other  countries, 
that  while  the  climate  is  unhealthful  to  the  last 
degree  during  the  rainy  season,  it  is  generally 
the  reverse  at  other  times.  The  rainy  period, 
the  reader  will  bear  in  mind,  was  well  past,  and 
we  had  entered  upon  a  term  during  which  the 
rain  was  not  likely  to  fall  for  months.  From 
April  to  October  is  the  winter  to  the  south  of 
the  equator. 

My  friend  and  I  brought  two  strong,  grassy 
hammocks  from  the  little  steamer,  which 
with  some  labor  were  suspended  between  the 

50 


A  STARTLING  AWAKENING  51 

branches  of  the  trees,  at  a  distance  of  nearly 
thirty  feet  from  the  ground.  The  ropes  were 
tied  with  care,  for  a  fall  from  snch  a  height  was 
likely  to  be  unpleasant  to  say  the  least. 

We  were  thus  beyond  the  reach  of  any  ser- 
pents or  creeping  things,  our  only  peril  being 
possibly  from  jaguars,  which  are  expert  climb- 
ers. The  same  perhaps  could  be  said  of  leop- 
ards, though  they  are  less  to  be  feared  than 
the  American  tiger,  which,  of  course,  is  much 
the  inferior  of  his  Asiatic  brother. 

Having  adjusted  the  hammocks  we  carefully 
crept  into  them,  each  taking  a  Winchester  with 
him,  though  neither  expected  to  need  the 
weapon.  The  space  between  us  was  about  a 
dozen  feet,  and  our  aerial  couches  dipped  al-» 
most  parallel. 

Having  settled  comfortably  into  position,  we 
each  lit  a  cigar  and  talked  for  half  an  hour  be- 
fore we  began  to  feel  the  approach  of  drowsi- 
ness. What  was  said  was  not  worth  recording. 

Before  climbing  to  our  perches,  we  threw  a 
mass  of  wood  on  the  blaze  below,  so  located  that 
if  either  of  us  should  fall  he  was  in  no  danger 
of  being  burned. 

When  I  had  finished  my  cigar  and  flung  the 
stump  away,  I  asked  my  comrade  if  he  was 


52  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

asleep.  Since  He  made  no  reply,  I  received  the 
only  affirmative  answer  possible. 

A  few  minutes  later  his  heavy  breathing 
showed  him  to  be  in  the  land  of  dreams,  where 
I  expected  soon-  to  join  him,  and  probably  would 
have  done  so,  but  for  an  unexpected  interrup- 
tion. 

That  which  I  first  noticed  was  a  queer  chat- 
tering sound  below  me.  Leaning  over  the  rim 
of  my  hammock,  I  saw  a  grotesque  sight. 

Gathered  around  the  fire  and  plainly  shown 
in  the  reflected  light,  were  eight  or  ten  monkeys, 
moving  nimbly  to  and  fro  in  their  vivacious 
fashion  and  evidently  stirred  with  curiosity,  not 
only  by  the  fire  itself,  but  by  the  sight  of  the 
hammocks  suspended  far  above  them.  I  could 
see  their  comical  faces  turned  upward,  while 
they  chattered  as  if  exchanging  views  over  the 
odd  invaders  of  their  domain. 

As  partially  revealed  in  the  broken  light,  they 
resembled  the  monkeys  seen  in  the  shows  and 
museums  of  our  own  country,  though  under  the 
full  glare  of  day  it  is  probable  I  should  have 
detected  more  than  one  difference. 

They  were  in  continual  motion,  passing  back 
and  forth,  looking  aloft,  their  faces  reminding 
me  in  the  firelight  of  a  number  of  dwarfed  old 
men,  and  the  ceaseless  action  of  the  jaws  sug- 


A  STARTLING  AWAKENING  53 

gested  that  all  were  chewing  gum,  after  the 
manner  of  their  superior  brethren,  or  rather 
sisters. 

Suddenly  two  of  them  bobbed  off  toward  the 
boat,  as  if  they  had  been  appointed  a  committee 
to  investigate  that  strange  creation.  In  a  few 
minutes  they  returned  and  then  there  was  more 
chattering. 

An  instant  latter,  as  if  in  obedience  to  their 
leader,  all  scattered  and  disappeared,  but  they 
had  not  departed.  Instead,  they  nimbly 
climbed  the  trees,  and  the  odd  sounds  showed 
they  were  among  the  limbs  around  us. 

Now  and  then  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  one  of 
the  comical  creatures,  peeping  among  the  leaves 
at  me  or  at  my  companion.  When  one  of  them 
crept  timidly  out  on  the  big  limb  which  partly 
supported  my  hammock,  I  suddenly  circled  my 
hat  and  called  "Shoo!"  He  whisked  away  in 
a  flash,  and  the  next  minute  all  were  chattering 
again,  just  far  enough  off  to  be  invisible  among 
the  dense  vegetation. 

Of  course  nothing  in  the  nature  of  danger 
was  to  be  feared  from  these  creatures,  though 
instances  are  known  when,  upon  being  assailed, 
they  have  rallied  in  large  numbers  and  put  up 
a  brave  defense.  It  would  have  been  cruel  to 


54  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

harm  them  and  no  such  thought  entered  my 
mind. 

I  regretted  that  Higgenbottom  was  not  awake 
to  be  amused  by  the  entertaining  sight,  but  it 
would  do  him  more  good  to  sleep  and  I  did  not 
disturb  him.  The  faintest  possible  misgiving 
that  they  might  cause  some  annoyance  kept  me 
awake  longer  than  usual,  but  after  a  time  I 
grew  weary  of  the  incessant  chatter  in  the 
branches,  and  was  sinking  into  sleep,  when  a 
startling  thing  took  place. 

I  wonder  whether  those  mischievous  crea- 
tures really  understood  what  they  were  doing 
when  they  began  slyly  gnawing  off  the  rope 
which  held  one  end  of  Percy  Higgenbottom 's 
hammock.  They  must  have,  for  what  other 
reason  could  they  have  for  gnawing  it? 

There  was  not  a  thought  of  anything  of  the 
kind  in  my  mind,  and  the  monkeys  were 
screened  from  sight.  The  captain's  snores  had 
risen  to  a  penetrating  degree,  when  presto !  the 
knot  nearest  his  head  was  eaten  asunder,  and 
the  next  thing  I  saw  was  the  figure  of  my  friend, 
as  dimly  shown  in  the  firelight,  turning  somer- 
saults through  the  branches  to  the  ground ! 

Remarkable  good  fortune  attended  that  in- 
voluntary getting  out  of  bed;  for  the  limbs 
broke  his  fall,  and  it  so  happened  that  when  he 


A  STARTLING  AWAKENING  55 

reached  the  earth,  he  landed  on  his  feet.  That 
he  was  thoroughly  awakened  need  not  be  said 
any  more  than  that  he  was  mad  "clean 
through. ' ' 

His  Winchester  had  fallen  unharmed  beside 
him,  and  snatching  it  from  the  ground,  he 
glared  around  in  the  firelight,  and  uttered  a 
number  of  exclamations  so  vigorous  that  it  were 
better  to  make  no  record  of  them. 

Seeing  that  he  was  unhurt,  I  gave  way  to 
merriment  and  laughed  until  I  was  hardly  able 
to  breathe.  He  stood  angry  and  glowering, 
and  in  a  few  moments  savagely  demanded : 

"What  are  you  laughing  at?" 

"You;  it  is  the  greatest  joke  of  my  life;  I 
never  saw  anything  half  so  funny,"  and  I  sank 
back  in  my  hammock  and  gave  way  until  I  could 
laugh  no  more. 

"Some  folks  have  no  more  feelings  than  to 
ridicule  the  misfortunes  of  others." 

"It  may  be  unfeeling,  captain,  but  I  can't 
help  it " 

At  that  moment  I  found  myself  going  down- 
ward, entangled  in  my  hammock,  for  the  in- 
stant, and  then,  as  I  frantically  clutched  at  the 
limbs  I  slid  out  of  the  dangling  couch,  and 
would  have  dropped  squarely  on  the  head  of 


56  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

my  friend  had  he  not  leaped  to  one  side  in  the 
nick  of  time. 

I  admit  that  I  was  considerably  jarred  but 
the  branches  served  me  the  same  friendly  office 
and  I  was  comparatively  unharmed. 

I  turned  around  to  explain  matters  to  Hig- 
genbottom,  but  he  lay  on  the  ground  doubled  up 
with  mirth.  He  certainly  had  warrant  for  his 
merriment,  and  I  made  a  feeble  attempt  to  join 
him,  but  it  was  a  failure.  I  could  only  wait 
until  he  had  recovered,  and  even  then,  when  he 
regained  his  strength,  he  gave  way  to  fits  of 
laughter  that  it  struck  me  were  altogether 
superfluous. 

Man  has  been  described  as  a  creature  who 
laughs,  but  I  believe  that  every  one  of  those 
monkeys  that  witnessed  our  discomfiture  was 
shaken  from  head  to  the  extremity  of  his  tail 
with  merriment,  for  such  wild  chattering  and 
skipping  about  never  before  disturbed  that  an- 
cient forest. 

Succeeding  the  captain's  outburst  came  a 
feeling  of  resentment  at  the  trick  that  had  been 
played  on  him.  Throwing  additional  wood  on 
the  fire,  he  moved  around  under  the  trees,  gaz- 
ing aloft  at  the  animals  of  which  he  could  catch 
glimpses  as  they  scampered  from  limb  to  limb. 

"If  I  could  be  certain  which  one  did  that,  I 


A  STARTLING  AWAKENING  57 

would  bring  his  fun  to  a  stop,"  he  said,  half 
disposed  to  fire  at  a  venture. 

"Since  it  is  impossible  to  tell,  restrain  your 
wrath.  I  was  jarred  twice  as  much  as  you,  and 
if  I  can  forgive  my  tormentor,  I  am  sure  you 
should. " 

"You  are  just  as  mad  as  I,  but  are  trying  to 
hide  it.  Well,  that  ends  the  hammock  siestas 
in  a  country  which  abounds  with  monkeys. ' ' 

We  walked  the  short  distance  through  the 
gloom  to  where  the  steamer  was  moored  to  the 
shore,  and  on  the  way  thither,  I  noticed  for 
the  first  time  that  there  was  a  moon  in  the  clear 
sky.  It  was  not  full,  but  it  shed  considerable 
light,  which  was  unobserved  by  us  amid  the 
shadows  of  the  wood. 

Arrived  at  the  boat,  we  found  all  three  of  the 
crew  sleeping  soundly.  They  were  so  accus- 
tomed to  the  noises  of  the  wilderness  that  they 
found  them  of  a  soothing  nature  rather  than 
otherwise. 

"I  don't  fancy  sleeping  so  close  to  the  bank," 
I  remarked;  "why  not  move  out  into  the 
stream,  where  it  will  not  be  so  easy  for  wild 
animals  to  reach  us?" 

"I  was  thinking  of  that  very  thing.  There 
being  so  steam  up,  we  can  shove  the  steamer 
with  poles." 


58  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

The  rope  was  untied  from  the  trunk  of  the 
tree,  and  stepping  aboard,  we  pushed  against 
the  bank.  The  craft  was  so  small  it  readily 
yielded,  and  we  kept  at  work  until  near  the  mid- 
dle of  the  river,  which,  as  well  as  I  can  recall, 
was  seventy-five  yards  or  more  in  width. 

By  that  time  the  current  was  carrying  us 
downward,  but  when  the  captain  let  the  anchor 
drop  from  the  stern,  the  boat  quickly  came  to 
rest.  The  disturbance  caused  Padro  to  look  up 
from  his  couch  forward  and  ask  what  was  going 
on.  A  word  reassured  him  and  he  lay  down 
again,  neither  of  his  companions  having  awak- 
ened. 

I  had  been  so  shaken  up  by  my  mishap  that  I 
lay  awake  for  some  time  after  the  captain's 
stertorious  breathing  showed  he  was  again  un- 
conscious. I  was  lying  on  a  blanket  just  in 
front  of  the  silent  engine,  and  after  a  time, 
with  the  varied  noises  of  the  woods  in  my  ears, 
sank  into  unconsciousness. 

I  must  have  slept  a  full  hour,  when,  with  no 
apparent  cause,  I  awoke  in  full  command  of  my 
senses.  Without  stirring  I  lay  still  and  lis- 
tened. 

Every  one  of  my  companions  was  asleep,  and 
for  awhile  I  could  detect  nothing  out  of  the 
usual  order  of  things;  but  finally,  with  a  thrill 


A  STARTLING  AWAKENING  59 

of  alarm,  I  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  there 
was  something  unusual  going  on,  and  that,  too, 
very  near  at  hand. 


CHAPTER  VI 

DRAWING  NEAR  EL  GRAN  CHACO 

THE  current,  split  by  the  sharp  prow  of  the 
steamer,  rippled  past,  but  amid  the  faint, 
soothing  sound,  I  distinguished  a  dis- 
turbance of  the  water,  which  I  knew  was  caused 
by  something  else. 

Rising  on  my  elbow,  I  listened  intently  and 
was  soon  able  to  note  that  the  noise  was  travel- 
ing around  the  boat. 

When  first  recognized,  it  was  at  the  stern  and 
could  be  plainly  followed,  as  it  moved  along  the 
opposite  side  and  then  around  the  prow  toward 
where  I  was  lying.  Suddenly  the  noise  ceased, 
and  listening  a  full  minute,  I  was  unable  to 
hear  it. 

"It  is  some  animal,"  I  reflected,  "that  has 
taken  a  look  at  the  steamer  and  is  now  return- 
ing to  shore. ' ' 

Cautiously  and  silently  I  raised  my  head  and 
peered  over  the  side.  At  the  very  moment  of 
doing  so,  the  boat  tipped  several  inches,  and  the 
frightful  front  of  a  leopard  came  up  over  the 

60 


DRAWING  NEAR  EL  GRAN  CHACO     61 

gunwale,  exactly  opposite  my  face  and  not  six 
inches  distant. 

It  will  always  be  a  question  with  me  as  to 
which  was  the  more  scared — the  wild  beast  or 
myself.  I  was  literally  transfixed  for  the  in- 
stant, when  those  round,  glaring  eyes  rose  so 
near  my  own  that  I  clearly  felt  the  hot  breath  in 
my  face,  as  it  came  through  the  partly  opened 
jaws. 

Raising  his  head,  the  brute  had  rested  one 
paw  on  the  upper  edge  of  the  gunwhale,  his 
weight  causing  the  slight  tipping  alluded  to, 
and  he  either  intended  to  come  over  the  side  or 
to  take  a  look  at  the  interior.  It  was  a  remark- 
able coincidence  that  he  and  I  made  our  move- 
ments at  precisely  the  same  instant,  and  when 
so  near  each  other. 

The  leopard  hesitated  for  a  moment  as  if  try- 
ing to  grasp  the  situation,  and  then,  with  a 
whiffing  snort,  dropped  back  into  the  water  and 
began  swimming  in  a  perfect  panic  for  the  left 
bank  of  the  river,  that  is,  opposite  to  where  we 
had  kindled  our  campfire. 

He  was  a  splendid  swimmer  and  he  went 
through  the  water  with  astonishing  speed,  the 
ripples  spreading  out  behind  him  like  a  fan.  In 
a  brief  while,  he  entered  the  shadows  thrown 


62  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

out  by  the  trees  overhanging  the  bank  and  I 
saw  him  no  more. 

While  this  was  going  on  I  sat  up  in  my  bunk, 
both  forearms  resting  on  the  gunwhale  and 
watched  him.  Not  until  he  had  vanished  did  it 
occur  to  me  that  a  fine  chance  had  been  offered 
to  use  a  Winchester  and  bag  a  specimen  of 
the  royal  game  of  the  country.  Nothing  would 
have  been  easier  than  to  send  a  bullet  through 
that  vicious  looking  head,  but  it  was  too  late 
now  to  think  of  anything  of  the  kind. 

My  experience,  however,  was  sufficient  to 
drive  away  all  thought  of  sleep.  When  a  perch 
among  the  branches  of  a  tree,  or  a  couch  aboard 
the  steamer  itself  would  give  no  security,  it  was 
better  to  take  turns  in  acting  the  sentinel.  I 
wondered  that  Captain  Higgenbottom  had  not 
arranged  for  that  before  we  lay  down.  It  cer- 
tainly would  have  to  be  done  later  on. 

My  rifle  reposed  within  arm's  reach,  and,  still 
leaning  on  the  gunwhale,  I  resolved  to  keep 
guard  until  daylight,  when,  the  others  being 
awake,  it  would  be  safe  for  me  to  sleep.  With 
all  my  senses  on  the  alert,  I  was  sure  no  enemy 
could  approach  within  striking  distance  without 
instant  discovery. 

It  is  probable  that  I  had  held  the  position 
described  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  when  I 


DRAWING  NEAR  EL  GRAN  CHACO     63 

closed  my  eyes  and  did  not  open  them  again 
until  the  sun  was  shining  and  my  friends  had 
been  busy  about  the  boat  for  half  an  hour. 

"While  your  position  was  not  the  most  fa- 
vorable for  sleep,"  said  Higgenbottom,  "you 
were  resting  so  comfortably  that  we  let  you 
alone.  We  will  have  breakfast  on  board  and 
we  ought  to  make  considerable  progress  to- 
day." 

Steam  was  already  blowing  off  from  the  little 
engine,  and  while  the  captain  and  I  were  eating 
our  morning  meal,  I  told  the  story  of  the 
leopard.  He  laughed. 

"After  this,  some  one  must  always  stand 
guard.  I  didn't  think  it  necessary,  for  it  will 
be  quite  a  while  before  we  reach  the  section  of 
the  Tobas,  but  the  wild  animals  in  this  part  of 
the  world  are  altogether  too  fond  of  prying  into 
other  people's  affairs.  I  don't  expect  to  use 
Uncle  Sam  for  a  week  or  more,  but  he  might  as 
well  be  ready  for  any  emergency. ' ' 

He  passed  forward  to  where  the  narrow 
throated  piece  of  ordnance  was  securely  fixed  in 
place,  examined  the  spring  which  was  operated 
by  the  cord  that  entered  through  the  vent  hole, 
and  then,  by  severe  exertion,  he  forced  the 
mechanism  back  into  a  tense  position  by  press- 
ing the  ramrod  with  all  his  might  against  it. 


64  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Since  the  arrangement  was  his  own  construe^ 
tion,  it  worked  perfectly.  Then  the  highly  ex- 
plosive cartridge  was  carefully  adjusted,  and 
the  machine  was  ready  for  deadly  business. 

Once  more  the  captain  grasped  the  wheel  in 
the  pilot  house,  I  standing  at  his  elbow,  and  the 
eventful  voyage  was  resumed. 

Naturally,  after  he  had  made  his  contract  in 
La  Paz,  the  Bolivian  capital,  the  New  Eng- 
lander  gathered  all  the  information  he  could 
regarding  the  mysterious  Pilcomayo.  He 
therefore  knew  much  more  than  I,  but  I  am 
bound  to  say  that  this  knowledge  was  anything 
but  extensive. 

* i  Some  of  the  explorers  who  started  down  the 
stream  the  same  as  we,"  he  remarked,  "suc- 
ceeded in  reaching  the  edge  of  the  Gran  Chaco 
before  they  were  massacred  or  turned  back. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  those  who  ascended  the 
river  from  the  Eio  de  la  Plata  or  Parana,  so 
that  the  only  portion  unknown  is  that  which 
flows  across  the  northeastern  corner  of  Argen- 
tina and  through  the  Toba  country." 

"How  extensive  is  that?" 

"As  nearly  as  I  can  figure  out,  it  is  some 
three  hundred  miles.  We  have  only  to  make  a 
dash  across  the  stretch  to  accomplish  that  which 


DRAWING  NEAR  EL  GRAN  CHACO  65 

has   been  tried   for   nearly  two   centuries   in 


vain. ' ' 


6 '  My  feeling  is  that  it  will  never  be  done  ex- 
cept by  an  armed  force  large  enough  to  beat  off 
any  body  of  Indians  that  can  be  collected. ' ' 

' '  That  may  be  the  case  regarding  Spanish 
enterprise,  but  Yankee  ingenuity  will  play 
around  those  people  every  time.  A  few  dyna- 
mite shells  and  the  swift  flight  of  the  Hail 
Columbia  will  make  those  redskins  feel  like 
thirty  cents." 

"How  easily  they  might  block  us  by  building 
a  dam  across  the  stream  in  front!" 

The  shrewd  fellow  lit  another  cigar,  and  since 
the  boat  just  then  required  little  attention,  he 
grinned  at  me  in  his  suggestive  way. 

"No  doubt,  but  this  ain't  the  part  of  the 
world  where  the  Tobas  live,  and  it  will  be  a 
week  or  more  before  we  get  the  first  glimpse  of 
them.  By  that  time,  my  good  fellow,  the  river 
will  be  three  or  four  times  its  present  width,  we 
shall  have  a  free  course  and  can  leave  them  be- 
hind as  if  they  were  standing  still. ' ' 

There  seemed  logic  in  this,  but  it  was  singu- 
lar that  the  New  Englander  in  gathering  in- 
formation about  the  Pilcomayo  overlooked  one 
strange  fact,  of  which  he  and  I  were  to  become 
informed  in  the  most  alarming  manner  con- 

5 


66  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

ceivable.  At  present,  neither  held  the  slightest 
suspicion  of  a  truth  which,  had  we  but  known  it, 
would  have  overturned  our  ideas. 

That  day's  work  was  encouraging  and  added 
to  our  hopes.  We  encountered  more  than  one 
rough  passage,  where  all  the  skill  of  the  captain 
was  called  into  play,  but  he  was  easily  equal  to 
the  demand.  We  passed  through  a  second  can- 
yon, but  it  was  not  so  perilous  as  that  already 
described,  and  we  scraped  past  several  sunken 
rocks  that  were  dodged  in  the  nick  of  time. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  we  were  rapidly 
leaving  the  mountainous  section  for  the  low- 
lands. Even  though  the  southern  winter  had 
begun,  we  were  certain  to  encounter  hot,  smoth- 
ering weather,  and  prudence  was  necessary  to 
escape  fever  and  the  diseases  to  which  the  coun- 
try is  peculiarly  subject. 

We  repeatedly  saw  animals  on  the  shore, 
most  of  which  surveyed  us  with  wondering 
curiosity,  as  well  they  might.  Both  the  captain 
and  myself  occasionally  took  a  shot  at  a  jaguar 
or  leopard,  but  I  am  ashamed  to  say  that  in  no 
instance  was  there  any  evidence  that  they  were 
hit  by  the  bullets  that  cut  the  leaves  about 
them. 

The  parrots  and  brilliant  songsters  that 
flitted  among  the  branches  were  not  disturbed. 


DRAWING  NEAR  EL  GRAN  CHACO     67 

Some  of  them  exhibited  every  tint  of  the  rain- 
bow, and  others  looked  like  balls  of  flame  as 
they  darted  through  the  green  vegetation. 

It  was  a  relief  not  to  see  any  of  the  hideous 
serpents,  which  are  liable  to  be  encountered  at 
all  times.  In  that  section  of  the  continent  is 
found  the  genuine  boa  constrictors,  some  of 
which  are  more  than  a  score  of  feet  in  length. 

It  would  be  monotonous  to  relate  in  detail  the 
incidents  of  the  succeeding  week  or  more,  since 
there  was  a  strong  similarity  in  them.  We 
sometimes  camped  on  shore  and  again  slept  on 
the  steamer.  I  need  not  add  that  at  no  time 
was  the  boat  unguarded,  and  to  this  vigilance 
was  doubtless  due  our  immunity  from  more 
than  one  unpleasant  visit  by  wild  beasts. 

We  caught  fish  and  shot  several  wild  turkeys 
that  were  foolish  enough  to  approach  our  camp, 
and  never  suffered  for  lack  of  food,  for  even 
at  that  season  an  abundance  of  wild  fruits  was 
everywhere.  The  river  increased  in  width 
with  a  more  sluggish  current,  until  it  was  more 
than  a  hundred  yards  between  the  banks. 

Far  to  the  left  and  again  to  the  right  could  be 
traced  the  lofty  mountain  ranges,  outlined 
against  the  clear  sky,  some  of  them  of  such  al- 
titude that  their  peaks  are  forever  crowned 
with  snow,  but  none  of  the  cool  breezes  fanned 


68  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

our  cheeks.  The  month  of  April  in  the  low- 
lands of  Bolivia,  though  marking  the  beginning 
of  winter,  is  one  of  the  most  trying  seasons  of 
the  year. 

Although  we  were  without  the  means  of  locat- 
ing ourselves  with  anything  approaching  cer- 
tainty, we  agreed  on  the  afternoon  of  the  tenth 
day  that  we  were  near  El  Gran  Chaco,  and  con- 
sequently were  entering  the  country  of  the  ter- 
rible Tobas,  who,  as  has  been  shown,  wrought 
such  frightful  havoc  with  all  explorers  who 
dared  to  venture  into  the  domain  claimed  by 
them. 

Standing  on  the  little  steamer,  which  was 
puffing  leisurely  forward,  we  noticed  the  change 
in  the  face  of  the  country  that  had  been  going 
on  for  two  or  three  days.  The  hills  and  moun- 
tains had  disappeared  and  on  either  hand 
stretched  the  seemingly  limitless  grassy  pam- 
pas, over  which  millions  of  horned  cattle  roam 
at  will,  furnishing  an  exhaustless  supply  of 
animal  food  to  the  untamable  savages  of  the 
section.  Through  the  captain's  glass  he  de- 
tected a  vast  herd  to  the  westward,  cropping 
the  succulent  grass,  and  he  was  still  studying 
them  when  he  exclaimed: 

"Well,  I'll  be  hanged!" 

"What  is  it?"  I  demanded. 

"A  party  of  Toba  Indians,"  was  the  reply. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  TOBAS 

THE  Pilcomayo  at  this  point  was  fully  an 
eighth  of  a  mile  wide,  with  a  current  so 
sluggish  that  it  was  hardly  perceptible. 
It  was  so  roiled  by  previous  rains  that  we  could 
not  see  the  bottom,  but  we  judged  the  depth  to 
be  eight  or  ten  feet,  more  than  amply  sufficient 
for  the  draft  of  the  Hail  Columbia.  Had  we 
used  one  of  the  poles  with  which  the  boat  was 
provided,  we  should  have  discovered  an  alarm- 
ing fact. 

As  I  have  stated,  the  vast  grassy  plains 
stretched  away  on  either  hand  until  the  line  of 
the  horizon  was  reached.  The  Gran  Chaco 
covers  hundreds  of  square  miles  and  there  could 
be  no  doubt  that  our  steamer  was  entering  a 
highly  dangerous  region. 

On  the  left  bank  and  reaching  to  the  margin 
of  the  stream,  was  a  stretch  of  timber,  covering 
eight  or  ten  acres.  Contrary  to  the  great  ex- 
tent of  forest  passed  on  our  way  to  this  point, 
it  was  almost  entirely  free  of  bushes  and  un- 

69 


70  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

dergrowth,  and  most  of  the  trees  stood  so  far 
apart  that  in  many  places  we  could  catch 
glimpses  of  the  plain  beyond. 

It  was  among  these  trunks  that  Captain  Hig- 
genbottom  had  discovered  a  dozen  or  more 
forms  that  were  the  first  savages  we  had  seen 
since  leaving  Sucre,  and  were  undoubtedly 
some  of  the  terrible  Tobas.  They  were  so  near 
that  the  glass  was  not  required  to  discern  them 
distinctly. 

They  were  moving  to  and  fro,  their  whole  at- 
tention evidently  centered  upon  the  boat,  and 
they  soon  came  down  to  the  edge  of  the  wood 
where  they  were  seen  still  more  plainly. 

They  were  of  ordinary  stature,  wearing  no 
clothing  except  a  breech  clout,  with  bushy  hair, 
and  the  upper  parts  of  their  bodies  and  their 
faces  were  daubed  with  pigments  of  varying 
colors.  As  may  be  supposed,  we  studied  them 
with  profound  curiosity. 

As  we  had  been  told,  they  had  no  firearms  but 
carried  long  bows,  with  quivers  of  arrows  sus- 
pended behind  their  shoulders,  after  the  manner 
of  the  primitive  tribes  of  American  Indians. 
In  addition  to  these  weapons,  most  of  them  had 
long  spears,  tipped  with  stone  and  ground  to  a 
fine  point.  They  can  hurl  these  missiles  to  a  re- 


THE  FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  TOBAS  71 

markable  distance,  and  with  wonderful  accu- 
racy of  aim. 

It  is  said  that  some  of  the  spear  points  and 
even  the  arrow  heads  are  dipped  in  a  virulent 
poison,  so  that  a  slight  wound  from  either  mis- 
sile is  sufficient  to  cause  death. 

My  gaze  was  still  fixed  upon  the  Tobas,  when 
the  captain  turned  the  wheel,  so  as  to  steer  the 
steamer  directly  toward  them. 

"What  do  you  intend  to  do?"  I  asked  in 
astonishment. 

"Make  a  call,"  he  replied  with  a  grin,  and 
seeing  that  my  wonderment  was  greater,  he 
added : 

"I  am  going  nigh  enough  to  drop  a  shell 
among  them." 

"Why  not  let  them  alone,  if  they  do  not  dis- 
turb you  ? ' ' 

"But  they  will  disturb  us;  there's  nothing 
like  the  first  impression ;  a  visit  from  one  of  the 
dynamite  cartridges  will  be  the  best  kind  of  a 
notice  to  them  to  keep  their  hands  off." 

This  reasoning  was  not  satisfactory,  but  I 
made  no  protest.  The  windows  of  the  pilot 
house  were  closed,  so  that  none  of  the  Toba 
missiles  could  reach  us,  and  we  were  therefore 
safe  for  the  time. 

Padro,  Hernandez  and  Armetia  were  pallid 


72  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

with  terror,  for  none  understood  the  Tobas  bet- 
ter than  they.  Their  inclination  was  to  get  as 
far  from  the  party  as  possible,  but  they  were 
helpless.  Padro  cowered  in  front  of  the  en- 
gine, where  he  was  beyond  reach  of  his  enemies, 
while  his  companions  did  not  dare  raise  their 
heads  sufficiently  to  peer  over  the  gunwales. 

One  thing  was  evident — the  Tobas  did  not 
hold  us  in  any  fear.  The  occurrences  of  the 
past  with  which  they  must  have  been  familiar, 
justified  this  self  confidence. 

As  we  slowly  pushed  toward  the  wooded 
shore,  they  came  down  to  meet  us  and  consti- 
tuted a  formidable  body  of  barbarians,  who 
were  as  eager  to  kill  all  white  men  as  if  they 
were  so  many  rabid  dogs. 

"Be  careful,"  I  whispered  to  the  captain,  "or 
they  will  pierce  some  of  us  with  their  arrows  or 
spears." 

"Impossible;  we  are  protected  and  the  crew 
will  take  mighty  good  care  not  to  draw  a  shot." 

Nevertheless  the  Tobas  took  chances.  The 
tallest  of  the  party,  and  evidently  the  leader, 
stepped  directly  out  in  front  of  his  warriors, 
sighted  carefully  with  his  long  bow  and  an  in- 
stant after  the  twang  of  the  sinew  reached  our 
ears,  we  heard  the  dull  impact  of  the  missile 
on  the  outside  of  the  pilot  house. 


THE  FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  TOBAS  T3 

Nothing  would  have  been  easier  than  to  pick 
off  this  wretch  as  well  as  several  of  his  com- 
panions, with  our  Winchesters,  but  the  captain 
said : 

"That  won't  scare  them  enough;  Uncle  Sam 
must  speak." 

Slipping  out  of  the  pilot  house,  on  the  side 
opposite  the  Tobas,  Higgenbottom  stole  for- 
ward, stooping  so  low  that  he  was  unperceived 
by  any  of  our  enemies,  who  launched  several 
more  arrows,  while  one  hurled  a  spear  with 
similar  accuracy,  but  no  harm  could  befall  us 
so  long  as  matters  remained  as  they  were. 

We  were  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
natives,  and  Higgenbottom,  who  understood 
perfectly  how  to  manage  his  gun,  waited  until 
he  had  depressed  the  muzzle  to  the  right  angle, 
when  again  he  sharply  twitched  the  string; 
there  was  the  quick  buzz  of  the  coiled  steel,  and 
the  cylindrical  shot,  weighing  several  pounds, 
plunged  upward,  and,  curving  over,  struck  the 
ground  at  the  very  feet  of  the  leader,  who 
looked  curiously  at  it,  as  if  he  felt  no  suspicion 
of  its  real  nature. 

I  held  my  breath  and  crouched  waiting  for 
the  terrific  explosion,  accompanied  by  its  ap- 
palling results ;  but  to  our  unbounded  amaze- 
ment, the  cartridge  failed  to  explode.  It 


74  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

seemed  to  strike  the  ground  right,  but  it  lay  as 
inert  as  if  it  were  a  brick  that  one  of  us  had 
tossed  to  land. 

* '  Well,  I  '11  be  hanged ! ' '  was  the  disgusted  ex- 
clamation of  my  friend ;  '  *  did  you  ever  see  any- 
thing like  that  f" 

"It  must  be  defective,  for  it  hit  the  earth 
properly. ' ' 

"It  wasn't  defective,  for  I  made  them  all. 
Every  one  of  those  twenty  is  perfect  and  ought 
to  explode." 

Meanwhile,  the  Tobas,  after  curiously  scru- 
tinizing the  oblong  object  at  their  feet,  picked  it 
up  and  began  an  examination  of  it.  Of  course 
they  had  never  before  seen  anything  of  the  kind 
and  knew  nothing  of  its  deadly  nature. 

"I  hope  one  of  them  will  drop  it  to  the 
ground.  I  will  give  them  another r-" 

"Great  heavens!"  I  exclaimed,  "they're 
going  to  throw  it  back  to  the  boat !  If  it  strikes 
us  there  won't  be  a  piece  left  as  big  as  your 
hand." 

It  looked  as  if  the  leader  intended  to  do  as  I 
suggested,  for  stepping  from  among  his  gang, 
he  poised  himself  for  the  throw.  Higgenbot- 
tom  rang  for  Padro  to  reverse  the  engine,  but, 
before  he  could  do  so,  the  missile  was  hurled. 

We  might  have  known,  however,  that  no  liv- 


THE  FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  TOBAS  75 

ing  person  could  throw  such  an  awkward  object 
a  hundred  yards.  Still,  it  looked  as  if  he  were 
about  to  succeed,  but  the  shell  splashed  into  the 
water  after  traveling  not  more  than  half  the 
distance,  and  sank  to  the  bottom,  without  hav- 
ing inflicted  the  least  damage  upon  any  one. 

It  was  at  this  moment  that  the  captain  met 
with  the  narrowest  conceivable  escape  from 
death.  He  exposed  himself  somewhat  reck- 
lessly, while  reloading  the  gun,  when,  like  a 
flash,  the  leader  of  the  Tobas  launched  an  arrow, 
which  grazed  one  of  the  long  yellow  tufts  of 
hair  at  my  friend's  shoulder,  and  speeding  well 
beyond  the  steamer  dropped  into  the  river. 

"By  gracious!  that  fellow  can  shoot  well!" 
exclaimed  Higgenbottom,  who  took  good  care 
not  to  tempt  him  again. 

I  had  taken  his  place  at  the  wheel  and  turned 
the  prow  out  into  the  stream,  as  the  screw  be- 
gan revolving.  No  danger  of  any  one  of  the 
crew  exposing  himself  to  spear  or  arrow  so 
long  as  he  could  avoid  it. 

"I  would  like  to  give  them  another  shell," 
said  the  captain,  looking  cautiously  up  at  me, 
"but  I'm  afraid  there  will  be  a  second  miss. 
We  have  already  made  a  bad  impression  and 
another  failure  will  tempt  them  to  renew  their 
attack." 


76  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

"They  can't  well  do  that,  since  they  have  no 
canoes. 9 ' 

"I  am  told  they  will  swim  out  in  the  river 
and  attack  any  enemy,  no  matter  how  formida- 
ble." 

"We  can  attend  to  them  with  our  Win- 
chesters. ' ' 

By  gracious,  if  the  whole  party  of  a  dozen  or 
more  did  not  try  the  very  thing  we  were  talking 
about!  Brandishing  spears  and  arrows  over 
their  heads  and  emitting  rasping  shouts  and 
cries,  they  began  wading  toward  us. 

"Wait  until  they  begin  swimming,"  I  sug- 
gested, "and  then  we'll  pick  them  off  at  our 
leisure. ' ' 

But  the  amazing  fact  quickly  became  appar- 
ent that  there  was  no  necessity  for  their  swim- 
ming. When  they  had  advanced  half  the  inter- 
vening distance,  the  water  did  not  rise  above 
their  knees. 

We  had  only  to  remain  where  we  were  to  have 
them  swarming  over  the  side  in  the  course  of  a 
few  minutes.  The  river  was  much  shallower 
than  we  supposed,  though  still  abundantly  deep 
for  the  steamer. 

However,  we  had  much  the  advantage  of  the 
situation,  for  we  could  move  faster  than  our 


THE  FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  TOBAS  77 

enemies  and  it  took  us  but  a  short  time  to  place 
ourselves  beyond  their  reach. 

Observing  our  action,  they  faced  about  and 
returned  to  land.  Thus  far  no  one  had  been 
harmed  on  either  side,  and  the  captain  was  in 
doubt  whether  it  would  not  have  been  much  bet- 
ter for  all  of  us,  had  we  sent  a  few  rifle  shots 
among  the  Tobas. 

As  for  myself,  I  was  relieved  that  since  no 
real  necessity  existed  for  shooting  any  one,  we 
had  refrained  from  doing  so. 

Passing  in  among  the  trees,  a  short  distance 
back  from  the  shore,  the  Tobas  were  seen  to  be 
busy  with  something.  A  few  minutes  later,  a 
column  of  wavy  blue  vapor  climbed  above  the 
treetops  and  slowly  dissolved  in  the  clear  air. 

"It  is  a  signal  fire,"  I  remarked;  "they  are 
telegraphing  to  some  of  their  friends  and  noti- 
fying them  of  our  coming. ' ' 

"No  doubt  of  it;  keep  a  sharp  watch  for  the 
answer. " 

We  were  not  long  in  descrying  it.  Directly 
down  stream  and  perhaps  two  or  three  miles 
away,  a  second  thin  column  of  smoke  stained 
the  blue  sky.  That,  too,  seemed  to  ascend  from 
a  patch  of  woods,  but  the  winding  course  of  the 
river  prevented  our  learning  the  truth  for  some 
time. 


78  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Now  that  no  risk  was  incurred,  one  of  the 
crew  thrust  a  pole  overboard  to  learn  the  depth 
of  the  water.  It  was  no  greater  than  before, 
perhaps  slightly  less. 

' '  This  is  something  I  never  thought  of, ' '  said 
the  captain  gravely;  "we  can't  afford  to  have 
the  river  become  much  shallower  or  we  shall  be 
stopped.  I  suppose  it  is  due  to  the  widening  of 
the  current." 

6 '  That  is  one  cause,  but  there  must  be  a  great 
deal  of  evaporation  on  these  broad,  flat  plains, 
even  at  this  season  of  the  year.  There  will  be 
no  more  rain  for  months  and  it  is  impossible 
therefore  that  our  situation  should  improve." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

FORGING  AHEAD 

ONE  fact  was  self  evident;  while  the 
steamer  might  be  able  to  go  ahead  for 
an  indefinite  distance,  it  could  never 
make  the  return  voyage  to  Sucre.  The  can- 
yons, tremendous  current  and  numerous  ob- 
structions were  insuperable. 

Captain  Higgenbottom  was  generally  opti- 
mistic in  his  feelings  and  found  comfort  in  the 
apparent  fact  that  the  shallowness  of  the  Pil- 
comayo  was  mainly  due  to  its  great  expansion 
at  the  section  where  we  first  encountered  the 
Tobas.  Most  of  the  lakes  of  that  region  are 
simply  the  broadening  out  of  rivers. 

Heading  southward,  we  sped  down  stream, 
for  it  was  important  that  we  should  lose  no 
time.  The  river  began  narrowing,  and  as  we 
approached  the  point  where  the  further  signal 
fire  was  burning,  the  banks  contracted  until 
they  were  separated  by  less  than  a  hundred 
feet.  Even  this  shrank,  and  naturally  the  cur- 
rent increased  in  depth  and  velocity. 

79 


80  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

I  was  standing  beside  my  friend,  who,  from 
his  slightly  elevated  position  in  the  pilot  house, 
commanded  the  most  extensive  view  of  the 
country  before  us.  The  vast,  grassy  plains 
stretched  out  on  either  hand,  and  the  woods, 
from  which  the  telltale  smoke  stained  the  sky, 
were  found  to  be  on  our  right  instead  of  the  left 
and  were  no  more  than  two  or  three  acres  in  ex- 
tent. 

The  trees  were  choked  with  undergrowth,  and 
for  a  time  we  could  discern  nothing  of  the  sav- 
ages who,  it  was  certain,  were  somewhere  in  the 
grove. 

"I  wonder  what  the  devils  are  doing,"  said 
the  captain ;  ' £  for  they  seem  to  be  careful  about 
exposing  themselves — well,  I'll  be  hanged!" 

There  was  good  cause  for  the  exclamation, 
for  at  the  same  moment  we  saw  that  the  Tobas 
had  hastily  thrown  a  dam  across  the  narrow 
river,  directly  in  front  of  us.  Branches  of 
trees,  dirt  and  stones  of  considerable  size  had 
been  placed  in  our  path,  the  whole  making  so 
much  of  an  obstruction  that  the  speed  and  depth 
of  the  water  were  considerably  increased. 

"What  shall  we  do?"  I  asked  in  alarm; 
"we  cannot  run  into  the  dam,  for  it  will  knock 
the  boat  to  pieces." 


The  hastily  built  dam  was  shattered  to  atoms. 


FORGING  AHEAD  81 

'  *  Take  the  wheel  for  a  few  minutes, ' '  he  said, 
as  he  signaled  for  Padro  to  slacken  speed. 

We  were  now  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
dam  and  approaching  it  at  a  comparatively 
slow  pace.  Not  a  Toba  had  shown  himself. 
The  engineer,  instead  of  merely  slackening  our 
progress,  shut  off  steam  altogether,  which  was 
fortunate  for  us. 

Higgenbottom  hurriedly  made  his  way  to  the 
ordnance  in  front  and  immediately  depressed 
the  muzzle  and  pulled  the  string. 

The  shell,  true  to  the  aim,  sped  onward,  strik- 
ing the  dam  near  the  middle  and  exploding  with 
frightful  force.  All  know  the  tremendous 
power  of  this  chemical,  and  the  obstruction  was 
shattered  to  atoms,  water,  mist,  bits  of  stone, 
wood  and  dirt  flying  in  every  direction,  a  lot  of 
debris  falling  in  a  shower  over  the  boat. 

A  clean  cut  passage  a  dozen  feet  in  width, 
was  opened  in  the  center  of  the  dam  through 
which  the  water  rushed  like  a  mill  race.  I  rang 
for  full  steam  and  headed  the  steamer  for  this 
channel,  for  nothing  else  was  possible,  and  we 
shot  through  with  arrowy  speed.  Without  pay- 
ing heed  to  what  I  was  doing,  the  captain  hastily 
shoved  another  shell  into  the  gun. 

"Down!"  I  shouted,  "or  you're  a  dead 
man!" 


82  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

The  air  was  filled  with  the  most  discordant 
screeches  and  yells  and  it  looked  as  if  a  hundred 
Tobas  leaped  from  the  very  ground,  dancing, 
screeching  and  launching  arrows  and  spears  at 
the  boat  as  it  sped  past.  They  ran  along  the 
edge  of  the  stream,  though  they  could  not  equal 
our  speed,  and  a  perfect  shower  of  missiles  de- 
scended upon  the  craft. 

My  friend  was  wise  enough  to  heed  my  warn- 
ing and  instantly  dropped  down  out  of  range. 
Had  he  not  done  so,  he  surely  must  have  been 
hit. 

But  the  New  Englander,  cool,  determined  and 
resolute,  while  prone  upon  the  deck,  swung  the 
light  piece  around  so  as  to  point  it  at  the  howl- 
ing group,  and  again  jerked  the  cord.  The 
dreadful  shell  dropped  directly  among  the  fierce 
group,  burst,  and  sent  fully  a  dozen  into  eter- 
nity, the  whole  occurring  with  such  appalling 
suddenness  that  it  was  over  before  we  really 
comprehended  what  had  taken  place. 

The  execution  was  so  frightful,  so  over- 
whelming, that  the  savages,  among  the  most 
fearless  met  anywhere,  were  dazed.  The  un- 
harmed or  slightly  wounded  dived  into  the 
wood  in  a  panic  and  instantly  vanished  from 
view. 

Meantime,  the  steamer  was  speeding  down- 


FORGING  AHEAD  83 

ward  like  a  race  horse.  The  rush  of  waters 
carried  it  irresistibly  and  the  most  I  could  do 
was  to  keep  it  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  channel,  and  trust  to  Providence  to 
see  us  through. 

Again  the  captain,  with  this  wonderful  cool- 
ness, managed  to  reload  the  gun,  so  as  to  be 
ready  for  another  discharge  should  the  oppor- 
tunity offer. 

But  we  had  safely  passed  two  parties  of 
Tobas  and  Heaven  only  knew  how  we  should 
fare  when  we  encountered  others. 

Higgenbottom  climbed  up  beside  me  and  I 
surrendered  the  wheel  to  him. 

"The  old  gun  worked  pretty  well  that  time," 
he  chuckled;  "those  of  the  Tobas  who  were  not 
killed  were  scared  out  of  their  senses.  I  tell 
you,  Windermyer,  I  have  solved  the  right 
method  of  exploring  the  mysterious  Pilco- 
mayo. ' ' 

"Far  from  it;  we  have  just  entered  the  dan- 
gerous section,  which  is  several  hundred  miles 
in  extent,  and  it  will  be  time  enough  to  hurrah 
when  we  have  left  it  behind  us." 

"At  any  rate  we  have  made  a  good  begin- 
ning— but  those  fellows  are  irrepressible." 

This  allusion  was  to  their  action  in  replenish- 
ing the  signal  fire  which  had  been  kindled  in 


84  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

reply  to  the  one  further  up  stream.  The  col- 
umn of  smoke  was  heavy  and  displayed  a  pecul- 
iar fluttering  motion,  as  it  rose  above  the  tree- 
tops,  which  made  it  clear  that  it  conveyed  some 
message  to  others  of  the  tribe,  most  probably 
still  below  us. 

Great  as  had  been  the  execution  of  the  dyna- 
mite cartridge,  it  had  not  deprived  the  savages 
of  their  cunning  and  treacherous  methods.  It 
was  impossible  to  share  the  hopefulness  of  my 
friend,  for  it  cannot  be  denied  that  our  expe- 
rience from  the  moment  we  caught  sight  of  the 
Tobas,  had  been  exceedingly  lively  and  was  om- 
inous of  what  awaited  us  in  the  near  future. 

The  river  broadened  slightly,  with  the  cur- 
rent quite  rapid  and  so  deep  that  there  was  no 
fear  of  grounding,  so  long  as  we  exercised  ordi- 
nary care,  though  when  this  state  of  affairs 
would  end,  it  was  impossible  to  say.  Looking 
back,  nothing  could  be  seen  of  the  savages,  nor 
did  any  shouts  betray  their  presence  in  the 
wood. 

Suddenly  a  cry  of  terror  came  from  Padro, 
standing  at  the  stern  in  front  of  the  engine,  and 
I  hurried  thither.  He  could  speak  broken  Eng- 
lish, and  in  answer  to  my  demand  for  the  cause 
of  his  alarm,  he  pointed  to  Armetia,  who  was 
lying  on  his  face  lengthwise  of  the  boat  and  a 


FORGING  AHEAD  85 

couple  of  paces  from  where  the  terrified  en- 
gineer was  staring  at  the  motionless  form. 

"What's  the  matter  with  him?"  I  asked. 

"He  dead! — dead! — dead!"  wailed  Padro. 

Still  doubtful,  I  bent  over  the  prostrate  figure 
and  turned  it  on  its  side.  One  glance  showed 
that  Padro  had  spoken  truly ;  the  breath  of  life 
was  gone  from  the  body. 

But  I  was  mystified  to  understand  the  cause 
of  his  death,  for  I  saw  no  wound  upon  him,  and 
his  dusky  countenance  looked  calm  and  peace- 
ful, for  all  the  world  as  if  he  were  asleep. 

Beading  my  question,  Padro  stooped  over 
and  drew  forth  an  arrow  that  was  partly  hidden 
by  the  body. 

"Seedat!    Itdodat!" 

In  the  naked  shoulder  of  the  dead  man  was 
a  slight  puncture,  such  as  might  have  been  made 
by  the  sting  of  an  ordinary  bee.  It  showed 
where  the  keen  point  of  the  arrow  had  barely 
pierced  the  skin. 

Since  the  poor  fellow  had  carefully  kept  out 
of  sight  of  the  Tobas,  while  the  scrimmage  was 
under  way,  the  missile  must  have  glanced 
against  him,  taking  an  eccentric  course  which 
robbed  it  of  nearly  all  its  force. 

There  could  be  no  mistaking  the  meaning  of 
this  incident.  The  tip  of  the  arrow  had  been 


86  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

dipped  in  a  poison  as  deadly  as  the  virus  of 
the  cobra,  which  needs  only  to  pass  under  the 
skin  to  complete  its  infernal  work. 

"What  a  terrible  set  these  Tobas  are,"  I  said 
to  the  captain,  as  I  rejoined  him  and  explained 
what  had  taken  place;  "such  missiles  are  ten- 
fold worse  than  dynamite. ' ' 

"They  may  be  in  some  circumstances,  but  we 
have  certainly  wrought  the  most  mischief  so 
far.  Besides,  I  doubt  whether  all  their  arrows 
are  thus  poisoned.  From  what  I  learned  in 
Sucre  the  practice  is  not  common  among  them. ' ' 

"It  needs  but  one  or  two  in  a  hundred  to 
give  one  an  unspeakable  dread.  You  have  had 
several  narrow  escapes  yourself,  and  you  may 
get  nipped  when  you  are  not  thinking  of  it. 9 ' 

"A  miss  is  as  good  as  a  mile,"  was  the  airy 
response  of  my  friend,  whose  spirits  most  of 
the  time  seemed  irrepressible. 

All  our  interests  were  in  front  of  us.  We 
looked  back,  but  the  column  of  smoke  which  I 
have  described  was  the  only  sign  of  the  pres- 
ence of  enemies  that  met  our  eyes. 

Ahead,  the  river  began  broadening  again, 
until  it  was  two  or  three  hundred  feet  in  extent. 
Once  more  the  muddy  water  slackened  its  flow 
and  despite  the  usual  high  spirits  of  Higgen- 
bottom,  his  face  plainly  showed  he  was  anxious. 


FORGING  AHEAD  87 

"My  only  fear,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  "is 
that  the  depth  may  become  too  slight  to  navi- 
gate the  Hail  Columbia. ' ' 

' '  Suppose  it  does  ? "  I  repeated,  thereby  ask- 
ing the  question  that  had  been  uppermost  in  my 
mind  for  several  hours. 

"I'm  blessed  if  I  can  tell  what  I'll  do;  don't 
let's  cross  a  bridge  until  we  reach  it.  Sufficient 
unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof." 

"Ordinarily  that  may  be  good  philosophy," 
I  replied  with  some  impatience,  "but  in  cir- 
cumstances like  these  it  is  nonsense.  I  am  con- 
vinced that  the  real  obstacle  confronting  us  is 
the  one  just  named — ah!  what  does  that 
mean  ? ' ' 

The  captain  noticed  it  at  the  same  moment- — 
a  jarring  or  tremor  which  passed  through  the 
boat,  whose  speed  was  slightly  decreased,  al- 
though the  screw  was  churning  the  water  with 
the  usual  vigor. 

Higgenbottom  nodded  his  head,  for  the  cause 
was  apparent  to  both  of  us.  The  boat  had 
touched  bottom,  so  lightly,  it  was  true,  that  the 
motion  was  not  stopped,  and  she  passed  quickly 
over  the  shoal  place  into  deeper  water. 

The  incident — slight  of  itself — meant  a  great 
deal.  Other  shoal  spots  were  certain  to  be  met, 
and  more  than  likely  some  of  them  would  prove 


88  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

still  shallower,  in  which  event  they  could  not 
be  passed  by  the  Hail  Columbia.  The  captain 
became  serious,  and  it  will  be  admitted  that  he 
had  sufficient  cause  to  be  a  trifle  anxious. 


CHAPTER  IX 

SHORTHANDED 

THE  afternoon  was  drawing  to  a  close  and 
we  kept  on  under  half  speed,  continually 
afraid  of  running  aground  and  sticking 
fast.  Stepping  to  the  side,  I  thrust  the 
end  of  one  of  the  poles  into  the  water,  and,  to 
my  surprise,  found  the  depth  nearly  five  feet. 

' '  Good ! ' '  exclaimed  Higgenbottom,  as  I  held 
up  the  stick  and  indicated  the  depth;  "if  that 
only  continues,  we  can  ask  nothing  better." 

"Ah,  that  'if,'  "  I  replied;  "the  whole  ques- 
tion hinges  on  that. ' J 

No  more  than  half  of  the  wood  taken  on  the 
night  before  had  been  used,  but  it  was  prudent 
to  renew  the  supply  while  the  chance  was  ours, 
for  it  might  be  that  when  our  need  was  the 
sorest,  we  should  be  shut  off  from  the  oppor- 
tunity. 

The  captain  fixed  his  attention  upon  some 
scrubby  trees  on  our  right,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
distant,  and  headed  the  steamer  for  them.  The 
increased  depth  of  the  water  so  encouraged  him 

89 


90  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

that  he  signaled  to  Padro  to  go  ahead  at  full 
speed,  but  the  screw  had  hardly  responded  to 
the  renewed  vigor  when  the  boat  rapidly  slack- 
ened its  progress  and  then  came  to  a  standstill. 

"By  gracious!  we're  aground!"  he  called, 
and  then  ordered  the  engineer  to  reverse  under 
full  steam. 

It  was  fortunate  that  we  happened  to  be 
going  so  slowly  at  the  moment  we  grounded, 
and  that  the  bottom  of  the  river  was  soft  mud, 
for  with  comparatively  little  effort  the  boat 
backed  off  from  the  shoal  into  deeper  water. 

This  accomplished,  the  captain  headed  once 
more  toward  the  wood,  advancing  so  gradually 
that  the  craft  seemed  hardly  to  be  moving. 

We  had  not  forgotten  the  signal  smoke  of  the 
second  and  larger  party  of  Tobas,  and,  ever 
since  leaving  them  behind,  had  been  on  the  look- 
out for  the  reply  to  it,  but  failed  to  discover 
anything  of  that  nature. 

"There  may  be  a  party  in  that  very  wood 
lying  in  wait  for  us/'  I  suggested. 

' '  I  have  been  studying  the  place  but  have  seen 
nothing;  have  you?" 

"No;  nevertheless  they  may  be  there." 

"If  so,  why  should  they  fail  to  show  them- 
selves, since  they  can  have  no  reason  to  suspect 
we  intended  stopping  there.  However,  it  is 


SHORTHANDED  91 

easy  enough  to  learn  whether  any  of  the  devils 
are  lurking  among  the  trees. ' ' 

Again  I  pushed  the  pole  over  the  side  and 
found  fully  three  feet  of  water.  Our  speed  was 
not  increased,  and,  when  we  were  within  a  hun- 
dred yards,  we  stopped. 

Higgenbottom 's  scheme  was  that  often  used 
by  a  military  force  in  approaching  a  wood 
where  there  is  reason  to  fear  an  enemy  is  hid- 
ing. He  launched  one  of  the  dynamite  shells 
among  the  trees. 

Again  there  was  a  frightful  explosion  which 
scattered  fragments  of  limbs  and  trunks  in  a 
shower  in  all  directions,  some  of  the  bits  of 
branches  rising  far  above  the  tops  of  the  tallest 
trees.  But  that  was  all.  Not  a  single  person 
showed  himself.  The  Tobas  evidently  were 
waiting  somewhere  else. 

"That  cartridge  served  another  good  pur- 
pose," said  Higgenbottom ;  "for  it  has  splin- 
tered our  fuel  for  us." 

Singularly  enough  the  depth  of  the  water  al- 
lowed the  boat  to  come  up  against  the  bank,  and 
the  two  natives  scrambled  over  the  side  to 
gather  the  wood,  while  it  could  be  done  in 
safety.  The  lifeless  form  of  Armetia  was  not 
disturbed,  but  allowed  to  lie  where  it  was 


92  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

stretched  when  the  poor  fellow  succumbed  to 
the  poisoned  missile. 

Leaving  the  captain  to  attend  to  the  boat,  I 
sprang  ashore  and  hurried  after  the  couple,  to 
help  gather  fuel.  The  shattered  limbs  and  tree 
trunks,  which  were  scattered  over  a  space  of 
many  feet,  afforded  a  striking  illustration  of 
the  terrific  power  of  the  explosive  sent  among 
them.  It  was  as  my  friend  had  said ;  the  pieces 
were  within  easy  reach  and  we  rapidly  replen- 
ished our  partly  exhausted  supply  of  wood. 

When  the  work  was  nearly  completed,  each  of 
us  walked  back  for  our  last  armful.  Padro 
gathered  his  load,  I  did  the  same,  and  Hernan- 
dez had  nearly  filled  his  arms,  when  he  stopped 
with  a  half  suppressed  exclamation. 

The  natives  looked  at  each  other  and  said 
something  in  their  native  tongue,  which  of 
course  was  unintelligible  to  me.  Padro  shook 
his  head  and  Hernandez  again  spoke,  but  with 
great  earnestness.  Then  he  suddenly  threw 
down  the  sticks  he  had  gathered,  turned  on  his 
heel  started  off  on  a  lope,  quickly  disappearing 
from  view. 

Puzzled  to  understand  the  meaning  of  his 
strange  action,  I  appealed  to  Padro.  He  an- 
swered, but  as  before,  spoke  in  his  own  tongue, 
and  without  adding  anything  moved  with  his 


SHORTHANDED  93 

burden  toward  the  boat,  I  following  close  be- 
hind him. 

When  I  told  Higgenbottom  of  the  occurrence, 
he  addressed  Padro  in  his  native  language,  for 
the  New  Englander  had  learned  to  speak  it 
quite  well,  and  they  conversed  for  a  few  min- 
utes. 

"We  shall  never  see  the  fellow  again,"  re- 
marked my  friend,  turning  to  me;  "he  has  run 
away. ' ' 

"And  why?" 

' '  Scared ;  he  considers  it  sure  death  to  go  on 
and  believes  his  only  chance  for  life  is  to  turn 
about  and  get  out  of  this  infernal  country  while 
he  has  a  small  chance." 

"Isn't  he  right?" 

"Perhaps  he  is;  we  shall  learn  before  long. 
The  only  wonder, ' '  added  the  captain,  lowering 
his  voice,  so  as  not  to  be  overheard,  "is  that 
Padro  didn't  go  with  him." 

"He  doesn't  seem  to  be  in  any  panic." 

"All  the  same,  he  is  as  frightened  as  he  can 
be ;  we  shall  lose  him  pretty  soon,  that  is  if  he  is 
not  picked  off  before  he  gets  an  opening  to  run 
away." 

"Do  you  intend  to  remain  here  by  the 
shore  ? ' 9 

"By  no  means." 


94  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Heading  the  boat  out  into  the  river  we 
steamed  forward  until  the  middle  was  reached, 
when  steam  was  shut  off  and  the  anchor 
dropped.  As  we  were  placed,  we  had  fully  a 
hundred  yards  of  water  on  either  side  of  the 
steamer. 

"If  there  are  any  of  the  Tobas  watching  us 
they  can't  approach  without  being  seen,"  said 
Higgenbottom. 

<  t  There  is  no  moon  tonight. ' J 

"But  the  sky  is  clear  and  there  will  be  plenty 
of  star  gleam." 

Night  gradually  descended,  and  by  and  by  we 
were  walled  in  on  every  hand  by  darkness.  It 
was  as  Higgenbottom  had  foretold.  There  was 
no  moon,  but  millions  of  stars  twinkled  from 
the  unclouded  sky. 

On  either  hand,  we  could  make  out  the  dim, 
shadowy  outlines  of  the  shore,  but  nothing  was 
seen  with  distinctness  and  the  silence,  save  from 
the  noises  of  the  solitude,  which  were  never 
still,  was  oppressive. 

Since  my  friend  was  certain  that  the  terrified 
Padro  would  desert  on  the  first  opportunity,  it 
was  idle  to  place  any  dependence  upon  him. 

"It  will  make  us  shorthanded, "  I  said  in  a 
low  voice,  as  we  stood  at  the  bow  beyond  hear- 
ing of  the  native,  "but  either  of  us  can  handle 


SHORTHANDED  95 

the  engine  or  wheel,  and  we  shall  easily  get 
along  if  that  is  our  only  trouble. ' ' 

"It  is  a  question  with  me  whether  we  should 
remain  here  or  feel  our  way  forward  while  the 
chance  is  ours.  We  can  go  so  slow  that  little 
risk  will  be  run. ' ' 

^  "Unless  the  river  narrows,  in  which  event  we 
shall  offer  the  Tobas  a  better  chance  to  attack 
us." 

Finally  the  captain  decided  to  stay  where  we 
were  for  some  hours  to  come.  Resolved  to  de- 
pend upon  Padro  for  nothing,  it  was  arranged 
that  I  should  mount  guard  the  first  half  of  the 
night  and  Higgenbottom  the  other  half.  It 
might  seem  that  each  of  us  would  be  in  danger 
of  falling  asleep,  since  the  sentinel  keep^  his 
senses  only  by  pacing  back  and  forth;  but 
neither  was  in  need  of  slumber  and  we  were  too 
deeply  impressed  with  our  responsibility  to  suc- 
cumb. 

Informing  Padro,  therefore,  that  he  might 
sleep  until  called,  Higgenbottom  stretched  out 
on  his  couch  forward  and  the  native  lay  down 
near  the  engine  at  the  stern.  My  position  was 
at  the  bow,  where  I  could  readily  watch  every 
portion  of  the  river,  except  immediately  aft. 

At  intervals,  I  made  my  way  thither,  so  that 


96  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

a  strict  guard  was  kept  of  every  portion  of  the 
boat. 

I  recall  that  it  was  not  far  from  midnight 
when  in  passing  to  the  stern,  I  saw  dimly  the 
extended  figure  of  Padro  who  was  apparently 
asleep.  I  gave  him  no  further  attention  and 
returned  to  my  former  station. 

Not  the  slightest  sight  or  sound  had  been 
noticed  that  could  awaken  misgiving.  Peering 
through  the  gloom,  the  faint,  shadowy  outlines 
of  either  shore  were  visible,  but  no  moving  ob- 
ject revealed  itself,  nor  could  the  listening  ear 
detect  anything  out  of  the  usual  order  of  things, 
for  the  plash  which  once  startled  me  was  made 
some  sportive  fish. 

At  such  times  one's  senses  often  assume  a 
preternatural  acuteness.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  the  tonnage  of  the  little  steamer  was 
so  slight  that  its  poise  was  readily  disturbed  by 
a  trifling  cause.  I  was  standing  at  the  prow, 
when  I  suddenly  felt  a  slight  but  peculiar  jar- 
ring of  the  boat,  as  if  something  had  gently 
pushed  it,  and  wondering  what  it  could  mean,  I 
listened  and  waited  for  further  clues. 

The  shock,  less  than  at  first,  was  felt  again 
and  then  there  was  an  almost  inaudible  rippling 
of  the  water  at  the  stern.  Suspecting  its  mean- 


SHORTHANDED  97 

ing,  I  softly  picked  my  way  thither,  only  to  have 
my  suspicions  confirmed. 

Padro,  while  pretending  to  be  asleep,  had 
softly  risen  from  his  couch,  stepped  over  the 
gunwale  at  the  stern  into  the  shallow  water, 
and  was  making  his  way  to  land.  I  could  see 
him  better  than  he  could  observe  me,  but  he  was 
no  more  than  an  indistinct  shadow  which  only 
permitted  me  to  notice  that  the  water  did  not 
reach  to  his  knees,  even  when  he  must  have  sunk 
a  few  inches  in  the  mud,  and  then  he  vanished 
from  my  field  of  vision. 

"That  leaves  us  to  ourselves,"  I  grimly  mut- 
tered, "for  the  only  native  left  with  us  is  dead, 
and  little  can  be  expected  from  him ;  but  the  fel- 
lows were  not  much  of  an  element  of  strength, 
and  I  don't  know  as  they  are  to  be  blamed  for 
trying  to  save  their  necks  while  a  desperate 
hope  remains.  It  may  be  that  the  wisest  course 
for  me  and  the  captain  is  to  imitate  them. ' ' 

In  some  circumstances  the  action  of  the  two 
natives  might  have  led  to  the  suspicion  that 
they  had  deserted  to  join  the  enemy.  That, 
however,  was  clearly  impossible.  The  Tobas 
would  accept  no  recruits  from  among  strangers, 
for  they  needed  none. 


CHAPTER  X 

STUCK  FAST 

STANDING  at  the  bow  of  the  motionless 
steamer,  gazing  off  over  the  silent  river, 
dimly  lit  up  by  the  gleam  of  twinkling 
stars,  I  gradually  became  aware  that  some  ob- 
ject was  resting  on  the  water  directly  ahead 
and  hovering,  as  may  be  said,  on  the  line  of  in- 
visibility. 

It  was  not  curious,  perhaps,  that  when  I 
peered  at  it,  the  object  seemed  to  fade  from 
sight  until  I  doubted  whether  it  were  not  some 
figment  of  the  fancy;  but  when  I  removed  my 
eyes  and  came  suddenly  back,  it  was  too  plain 
to  admit  of  a  mistake.  It  was  like  the  Pleiades, 
which  under  close  scrutiny  shrinks  to  six  stars, 
but  reveals  the  seventh  at  the  first  glance. 

"It's  aToba  canoe!" 

The  words  were  spoken  by  Higgenbottom, 
who  had  noiselessly  risen,  and  stood  at  my  el- 
bow, looking  in  the  same  direction. 

"I  agree  with  you,  though  it  is  the  first  I 
have  seen,  and  even  that  is  only  half  visible. '  ' 

98 


STUCK  FAST  99 

"How  would  it  do  to  drop  a  shell  in  it?" 

"I  don't  believe  it  possible;  the  cartridge 
wouldn't  be  likely  to  explode  and  it  strikes  me 
it  would  be  wise  for  you  to  be  more  chary  in 
using  your  cartridges." 

In  the  hope  of  learning  more,  the  captain 
pointed  his  glass  at  the  strange  craft. 

"Yes ;  it  is  one  of  their  boats,"  he  whispered, 
"and  if  I'm  not  mistaken,  two  of  them  are  in 
it.  Why  don't  they  come  closer  or  leave?" 

It  was  a  hard  question  to  answer,  for  it  was 
remarkable  that  the  canoe  should  halt  at  this 
precise  point  and  remain  there  so  long,  neither 
approaching  nor  receding. 

"  Windermyer, "  added  my  friend,  in  the 
same  guarded  voice,  "get  up  steam  as  soon  as 
you  can." 

I  hurried  to  the  stern  and  hastily  filled  the 
furnace  with  wood.  There  was  so  much  heat 
still  lingering  among  the  flues  that  the  fuel 
broke  into  a  blaze  as  soon  as  the  door  was 
closed.  In  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  there  would 
be  enough  steam  to  turn  the  screw,  and  I  re- 
turned to  Higgenbottom. 

The  boat  was  in  plainer  view,  having  slightly 
shifted  its  position.  It  had  come  a  little  closer 
and  was  turned  diagonally  toward  us,  so  it  was 


100  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

now  easy  to  see  that  it  contained  two  occu- 
pants. 

Evidently  they  had  not  satisfied  their  curios- 
ity from  the  first  standpoint  and  they  began 
slowly  circling  about  the  steamer.  One  of 
them  swayed  a  paddle,  similar  to  that  used  by 
the  Indians  in  our  own  country,  but  with  such 
carefulness  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to 
hear  the  slight  ripple. 

The  canoe  made  a  complete  circuit  of  the 
craft,  returning  to  its  first  position,  where  it 
once  more  became  motionless. 

"Windermyer,"  eagerly  whispered  my 
friend,  "you  must  have  enough  steam  to  turn 
the  screw ;  see  whether  you  have. ' ' 

"What  do  you  mean  to  do?" 

'  '  Eun  'em  down  if  I  can. ' ' 

It  was  a  grim  jest,  but  it  caught  my  fancy. 
I  opened  the  valve  of  the  engine  to  the  fullest 
extent  and  quickly  discovered  that  the  pressure 
of  the  steam  was  greater  than  I  suspected,  for 
the  screw  began  vigorously  churning  the  water 
and  the  boat  moved  ahead  with  considerable 
speed. 

Higgenbottom  steered  straight  for  the 
smaller  boat,  whose  occupants  must  have  been 
startled  when  they  saw  the  frightful  craft  bear- 
ing down  upon  them.  The  one  using  the  paddle 


STUCK  FAST  101 

swung  it  with  all  the  power  at  his  command, 
sending  his  boat  to  one  side  and  out  of  our  path. 

But  the  Hail  Columbia  also  turned  and  still 
made  for  it.  The  frightened  Toba  sheered  his 
canoe  the  opposite  way,  but  in  vain,  seeing 
which  he  drove  it  ahead  with  all  the  skill  and 
strength  he  could  summon. 

The  light  boat  skimmed  the  surface  swiftly, 
but  our  steamer  was  capable  of  a  speed  which 
no  smaller  craft  could  equal,  and  despite  the 
efforts  of  the  savage  we  gained  rapidly  upon 
him. 

Only  one  thing  remained  to  do  and  he  or 
rather  they  did  it.  With  a  suppressed  howl, 
both  leaped  out  of  the  canoe,  one  to  the  right 
and  the  other  to  the  left,  and  splashed  for  shore 
in  a  crazy  panic.  Since  it  was  impossible  to 
follow  both,  and  there  was  no  special  reason  for 
running  either  down,  Higgenbottom  gave  up 
the  pursuit,  checking  the  steamer  at  the  side  of 
the  canoe. 

Having  shut  off  steam  I  ran  to  the  prow  in 
answer  to  the  captain's  call. 

"Who  knows  but  what  we  can  make  some  use 
of  that  craft?"  he  said;  "fasten  it  to  the  side 
of  the  boat." 

Leaning  over  the  gunwale,  I  grasped  the 
canoe,  drew  it  nearer,  and,  after  a  little  manipu- 


102  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

lation,  secured  it  by  means  of  a  cord.  The  cap- 
tain came  down  to  inspect  it. 

The  Toba  canoe  was  perhaps  a  dozen  feet  in 
length,  and  was  made  of  the  bark  of  some  spe- 
cies of  tree,  the  big  pieces  being  glued  together 
and  over  one  another,  so  as  to  make  them  im- 
pervious to  water.  The  glue,  as  I  afterward 
learned,  was  obtained  from  the  same  tree  that 
furnished  the  bark,  so  that  the  tree  itself  must 
have  been  accommodating  and  highly  useful. 

The  paddle  had  a  single  blade,  which  was 
neither  broad  nor  long,  and  the  buoyancy  of  the 
craft  was  probably  sufficient  to  support  four 
or  five  persons. 

"If  I  had  a  paint  box  aboard,"  remarked 
Higgenbottom,  "I  would  christen  it  the  Hail 
Columbia,  Jr.,  but  we  shall  have  to  wait  for 
that.  However,  we  have  a  good  head  of  steam 
and  we  may  as  well  improve  our  time,"  he 
added,  returning  to  the  pilot  house,  while  I 
went  aft  and  again  set  the  screw  revolving, 
though  only  at  half  speed. 

It  was  taking  big  risks,  but  it  did  seem  that 
we  might  as  well  be  feeling  our  way  forward, 
as  to  remain  motionless  simply  because  it  was 
night.  Having  turned  on  the  steam,  I  had  lei- 
sure to  inspect  our  surroundings. 

One    fact    speedily   became    apparent.     The 


STUCK  FAST  103 

Pilcomayo,  instead  of  narrowing,  was  growing 
broader.  When  we  started,  as  I  have  ex- 
plained, we  could  dimly  trace  the  outlines  of 
each  shore,  but  looking  over  the  gunwale,  first 
on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other,  I  failed  to  see 
either  bank.  How  much  greater  the  width  be- 
came, of  course,  it  was  impossible  to  guess, 
since  we  were  without  any  means  of  judging. 

Just  as  I  feared,  we  had  gone  less  than  a 
fourth  of  a  mile,  when  we  ran  aground,  but  our 
moderate  speed  enabled  us  to  back  off,  and  Hig- 
genbottom  turned  sharply  to  the  left  for  fully 
a  hundred  feet,  when  he  headed  down  stream 
again,  while  without  orders,  I  slowed  our  prog- 
ress still  more. 

My  friend  now  did  a  rash  thing :  he  signalled 
me  to  go  ahead  at  the  highest  speed.  It  was 
easy  for  us  to  speak  to  each  other,  with  the 
short  distance  between,  and  I  called  to  him  to 
know  if  he  had  not  made  a  mistake. 

"No,"  he  replied;  "it  is  our  only  hope." 

"All  right;  here  we  go!" 

And  I  gave  her  full  steam.  Almost  at  the 
same  moment  I  felt  the  hull  touch  bottom,  the 
speed  perceptibly  slackening,  but  we  pushed  on, 
and  before  we  stopped,  swung  into  clear  water 
again  and  away  we  went. 

Perhaps  it  was  the  best  plan,  for  where  it 


104  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

was  impossible  to  distinguish  the  channel,  even 
if  one  existed,  nothing  was  to  be  gained  by  hesi- 
tation. 

As  nearly  as  I  could  judge,  we  sped  onward 
for  a  fourth  of  a  mile,  and  I  was  beginning  to 
feel  hopeful  that  the  worst  was  over,  when 
again  we  grazed  bottom.  Higgenbottom  jin- 
gled the  bell  for  more  speed,  but  it  was  impos- 
sible: the  boat  was  doing  her  utmost- 
Further  and  further  we  pushed,  going  slower 
and  slower,  while  I  held  my  breath  in  suspense. 
At  last,  the  advance  ceased,  with  the  screw  go- 
ing like  a  whirlwind. 

It  being  clear  that  we  could  not  advance 
further,  I  reversed  with  all  steam,  in  the  hope 
of  repeating  our  former  maneuver.  But  the 
boat  refused  to  budge.  The  effort  was  kept  up 
for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  when  Higgenbottom 
came  out  of  the  pilot  house. 

"Let  us  help  with  the  poles,"  he  said  with 
the  coolness  he  showed  at  all  times. 

He  thrust  one  over  the  left  of  the  prow  and 
I  at  the  other  side.  It  seemed  as  if  there  was 
not  more  than  an  inch  or  two  of  water,  but  we 
bent  to  it  with  might  and  main,  pressing  and 
pushing  until  our  bodies  were  almost  hori- 
zontal, and  we  could  not  exert  another  ounce  of 


STUCK  FAST  105 

strength.  At  last,  panting  and  perspiring,  we 
ceased. 

"It  looks  as  if  it  is  no  go,"  he  remarked. 

"You  are  right." 

"Never  say  die,"  he  added  cheerily,  after  we 
had  rested  a  few  minutes,  and  we  went  at  it 
again,  struggling  with  desperate  energy,  but  in 
vain. 

The  truth  was  that  the  high  speed  of  the  boat 
had  driven  her  inextricably  into  the  mud. 
Nothing  except  one  of  Merritt's  wrecking 
steamers  would  have  sufficed  to  pull  her  free 
again. 

The  time  came  when  we  had  to  give  it  up,  sit 
down  and  calmly  face  the  desperate  situation. 

" Higgenbottom, "  I  said  impressively,  "you 
gathered  all  the  information  possible  about  the 
confounded  Pilcomayo  after  you  left  Concep- 
cion  and  while  in  Sucre,  but  you  failed  to  learn 
the  most  important  fact  of  all." 

"What  is  that?" 

"The  river  grows  shallower,  as  it  flows 
southward.  It  spreads  out  in  many  places  as 
we  have  discovered,  until  it  is  too  thin  to  float 
a  boat  even  of  so  slight  draft  as  the  Hail  Co- 
lumbia. Not  only  that,  but  the  water  evapo- 
rates, and  I  have  no  doubt  that  fifty  miles  fur- 


106  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

ther  south,  there  is  less  of  a  stream  than  here 
and  a  hundred  miles  further  still  less." 

"But  it  must  increase  somewhere,  for  it  is  a 
goodly  sized  river  in  the  lower  portion." 

"Of  course,  for  even  before  it  passes  through 
El  Gran  Chaco  it  unites  with  the  Paraguay  from 
Brazil,  and  becomes  a  respectable  stream,  but 
until  then  it  is  comparatively  insignificant." 

"Is  there  no  tide  in  the  Pilcomayof" 

I  did  not  reply,  for  I  knew  the  question  was 
meant  for  a  grim  jest,  and  my  friend  added: 

"The  rainy  season  is  six  months  off,  and 
shallow  as  the  river  is  now,  it  will  grow  more 
so  each  day." 

"There  is  no  doubt  of  that." 

"And  it  is  impossible  to  go  back?" 

"When  we  can't  move  the  boat  an  inch,  and 
it  is  steadily  becoming  more  firmly  fixed,  it  is 
evident  we  can't  count  upon  the  Hail  Columbia 
to  help  us  out  of  our  trouble. ' ' 

Percy  Higgenbottom  was  now  serious.  Even 
his  habitual  spirits  forsook  him.  Sitting  on 
the  gunwale,  he  hummed  for  a  minute  or  two 
and  then  turned  toward  me. 

"Hernandez  and  Padro  had  a  heap  more 
sense  than  we,  for  they  left  while  there  was  a 
chance." 

"The  same  chance  remains  to  us." 


STUCK  FAST  107 

"Then  we  must  take  it!  The  career  of  the 
Hail  Columbia  has  ended,  and  it  looks  as  if  the 
same  may  soon  be  said  of  ourselves." 


CHAPTER  XI 

A  CHANGE  OF  BASE 

THE  crisis  had  come  and  we  endeavored  to 
face  it  like  men.  It  was  impossible  to  go 
forward  with,  the  steamer,  and  equally 
impossible  to  turn  back.  As  Higgenbottom  de- 
clared, the  career  of  the  Hail  Columbia,  so  far 
as  we  were  concerned,  was  at  an  end. 

As  nearly  as  we  could  figure  out,  we  were  in 
the  southeastern  corner  of  Bolivia,  at  the  point 
where  the  Pilcomayo,  after  running  almost  due 
east,  makes  an  abrupt  bend  to  the  south,  soon 
beginning  to  form  the  boundary  between  Para- 
guay and  the  Argentine  Eepublic,  whence  it 
flows  for  something  more  than  three  hundred 
miles,  before  joining  the  Paraguay,  Asuncion, 
the  capital  of  Paraguay,  standing  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  two  streams. 

The  stretch  of  three  hundred  and  odd  miles 
constitutes  the  dangerous  portion  of  the  river, 
which  has  never  yet  been  passed  by  any  white 
man,  although  the  effort  has  been  repeated 
from  early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  Full  of 

108 


A  CHANGE  OF  BASE  109 

high  hope  we  had  set  out  from  Sucre,  only  to 
be  stopped  before  we  had  penetrated  as  far  as 
some  of  our  predecessors. 

Having  given  up  the  problem,  the  all  impor- 
tant question  for  us  to  answer  was  that  of  sav- 
ing ourselves.  Manifestly  two  courses  were 
open:  to  turn  back  and  undertake  to  tramp 
overland  to  Sucre,  the  first  point  where  we 
could  strike  anything  approaching  civilization, 
or  to  push  across  the  northeastern  corner  of  El 
Gran  Chaco  to  Concepcion,  in  the  northern  part 
of  Paraguay,  on  the  river  of  the  same  name  and 
one  of  the  most  important  cities  of  the  country. 

"It  is  perhaps  more  than  two  hundred  miles 
to  Concepcion,"  said  my  friend,  "and  fully 
double  that  distance  to  Sucre.  The  latter 
route  is  tenfold  rougher  and  more  mountainous, 
and  the  job  would  try  us  to  the  utmost." 

"But  we  should  not  go  far  before  passing 
out  of  the  region  of  the  Tobas,  and  well  armed 
as  we  are,  it  would  be  only  a  laborious  tramp, 
for  we  could  not  be  in  peril  from  the  wild  ani- 
mals." 

"From  here  to  Concepcion  is  a  broad  level 
plain,  easy  to  traverse. ' ' 

"What  about  food?" 

"It  abounds  with  grass,  which  is  the  proper 
nutriment  for  a  couple  of  asses  like  ourselves. 


110  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

But,"  Higgenbottom  hastened  to  add,  as  if 
ashamed  of  his  momentary  lapse  from  serious- 
ness, "the  plain  is  broken  by  patches  of  woods; 
there  are  tens  of  thousands  of  wild  cattle,  and 
in  some  of  the  wooded  portions  we  shall  find 
edible  fmits." 

"And  Tobas." 

"Then  I  take  it  yon  favor  turning  back?" 

"No,"  I  replied;  "I  was  merely  bringing 
out  the  bad  points  of  the  route  which  I  think 
we  ought  to  take.  Even  if  we  started  to  go 
up  the  river,  we  shall  be  liable  to  run  into  par- 
ties of  savages  for  fifty  miles  or  more.  So  I 
propose  that  we  take  the  bull  by  the  horns  and 
start  for  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn,  on  which 
Concepcion  stands." 

"That  being  settled,  we  cannot  set  out  too 
soon.  It  is  a,  lucky  thing  that  we  caught  that 
Toba  canoe ;  for  we  can  use  it  to  go  ashore,  in- 
stead of  splashing  through  the  water  where  we 
are  liable  to  sink  to  our  waists  in  the  mud  and 
perhaps  over  our  heads." 

Having  agreed  upon  the  main  scheme,  it  only 
remained  to  complete  our  preparations.  First 
of  all,  we  made  a  hasty  meal  upon  the  jerked 
venison  and  fruit  that  was  left,  and  then  did  up 
a  small  quantity,  sufficient  to  last  three  or  four 
days,  on  short  allowance.  It  was  easy  to  stow 


A  CHANGE  OF  BASE  111 

it  among  our  pockets,  so  as  to  cause  no  incon- 
venience. 

Each,  it  will  be  remembered,  carried  a  couple 
of  Smith  &  Wesson  revolvers,  with  a  supply  of 
cartridges.  Thus  we  were  provided  with  ten 
shots  apiece,  at  an  instant's  emergency. 

In  addition,  there  were  the  two  repeating^ 
Winchesters,  whose  magazines  contained  re- 
spectively nine  charges.  Hernandez  and  Padro 
had  each  taken  his  gun,  while  that  of  the  dead 
Armetia  fell  to  me. 

"We  are  not  yet  armed  cap-a-pie,"  said  my 
friend. 

"We  ought  to  consider  ourselves  so  with 
thirty-eight  shots  apiece,  without  renewing  a 
single  charge." 

"Do  as  I  do." 

Stooping  over  the  basket  containing  the  dyna- 
mite cartridges,  he  took  out  one  and  shoved  it 
carefully  into  the  right  hand  pocket  of  his  coat. 
Then  he  did  the  same  with  his  other  pocket. 
Thus,  in  addition  to  his  firearms,  he  carried. two 
powerful  dynamite  shells.  I  followed  suit. 

' '  There, ' J  said  he,  with  a  touch  of  his  old  wag- 
gery, "if  we  are  driven  into  a  corner,  we  ought 
to  be  able  to  put  up  a  pretty  respectable  fight ; 
and  if  we  are  captured,  our  captors  must  handle 
us  pretty  carefully  or  they  will  get  hurt. " 


112  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

"What  about  usf" 

"Of  course  we'll  all  go  to  kingdom  come  to- 
gether. But  seriously,  Windermyer,  I  think  it 
likely  these  things  may  come  in  useful  before 
we  reach  Concepcion,  but  we  musn't  forget  to 
be  careful  with  them." 

"No;  a  slip  or  stumble  is  likely  to  explode 
one  and  wind  up  this  attempt  at  exploring  the 
Pilcomayo  as  effectually  as  all  those  that  have 
gone  before." 

It  was  a  relief  to  find  something  to  smile  over, 
and  we  gently  laughed  as  we  stepped  gingerly 
over  the  gunwale  and  adjusted  ourselves  in  the 
Toba  canoe.  The  body  of  Armetia  was  left 
where  it  still  lay  near  the  engine,  for  we  could 
give  it  no  more  fitting  tomb  than  was  already 
provided. 

Our  first  thought  was  to  fill  the  furnace  with 
wood,  tie  down  the  safety  valve  and  let  the  Hail 
Columbia  blow  up,  but  reflection  convinced  us 
that  such  a  course  would  be  the  height  of  folly, 
since  it  would  advertise  our  disaster  to  our  ene- 
mies. They  would  be  shrewd  enough  to  suspect 
that  before  this  took  place  we  had  abandoned 
the  craft,  and  consequently  they  would  search 
the  shore  for  us,  whereas  if  the  boat  were  left 
as  it  was,  they  would  be  likely  to  believe  we 


A  CHANGE  OF  BASE  113 

were  still  aboard,  and  several  days  might  pass 
before  they  would  dare  make  an  open  attack. 

In  the  interval  we  ought  to  place  a  good 
many  miles  behind  us. 

But  one  important  fact  was  not  overlooked. 
There  was  an  uncertain  number  of  Tobas  some- 
where in  the  neighborhood,  and  our  safety  de- 
pended upon  getting  away  without  discovery 
by  them.  For  aught  we  knew,  other  canoes 
were  hovering  in  the  vicinity  and  we  might  run 
into  them  at  any  moment. 

All  this  was  so  apparent,  that  there  was  no 
need  of  discussing  it  or  consulting  as  to  our 
plan  of  action.  Higgenbottom  sat  near  the 
stern  or  bow,  for  there  was  no  difference  be- 
tween them,  and  I  carefully  dipped  the  paddle 
into  the  roiled  current. 

At  the  first  effort,  the  end  struck  the  muddy 
bottom,  and  I  feared  the  canoe  was  sunk  so  low 
by  our  weight  that  we  should  be  compelled  to 
abandon  it  after  all.  Instead  of  paddling  I 
used  the  implement  as  a  pole,  knowing  from  the 
feeling  while  doing  so  that  the  canoe  was  in 
contact  with  the  bed  of  the  river. 

There  was  satisfaction,  however,  in  the 
knowledge  that  the  craft  was  moving,  and  much 
to  my  relief  the  water  soon  deepened  to  more 
than  a  foot,  Then  I  devoted  the  paddle  to  its 

8 


114  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

proper  use  and  we  gradually  moved  away  from 
the  steamer. 

It  will  be  understood  that  everything  for  the 
time  depended  upon  our  making  a  safe  start. 
If  discovered  by  any  T'obas  prowling  in  the 
neighborhood,  a  fight  would  be  precipitated, 
with  not  one  chance  in  a  thousand  of  our  saving 
ourselves,  abnormally  loaded  and  primed  as 
we  were. 

The  very  thing  dreaded  took  place.  We  had 
not  reached  a  point  fifty  feet  distant  from  the 
steamer,  when  my  companion  exclaimed  excit- 
edly: 

"Back  quick,  for  God's  sake!" 

Without  pausing  to  learn  the  cause  of  his 
startling  exclamation,  I  reversed  as  may  be 
said,  at  full  speed,  and,  in  a  twinkling,  was 
again  at  the  side  of  the  stranded  Hail  Colum- 
bia. I  had  not  discovered  as  yet  what  it  was 
that  frightened  Higgenbottom,  and  now  paused 
for  him  to  explain. 

"Climb  aboard  again!"  he  added  in  a 
guarded  voice,  "and  don't  forget  you're  loaded 
with  dynamite." 

Again  I  obeyed  him  unquestioningly,  but 
when  on  the  boat  insisted  that  he  should  en- 
lighten me. 

"Didn't  you  see?"  he  asked  in  astonishment. 


A  CHANGE  OF  BASE  115 

"I  saw  nothing  to  explain  your  alarm." 

"  A  boat  twice  as  big  as  our  canoe  loomed  up 
between  us  and  the  shore  for  which  we  were 
heading,  and  if  I'm  not  mightily  mistaken  it 
was  crammed  full  of  Tobas. ' ' 

"Heavens,  I  did  not  catch  a  glimpse  of 
them!" 

"It  wasn't  necessary,  but  you  never  did  a 
better  thing  than  when  you  obeyed  me  without 
an  instant's  hesitation.  It  may  sound  absurd 
to  say  we  are  keener  eyed  than  those  dusky 
devils,  but  I  don't  believe  they  saw  us  at  all." 

"It  is  more  likely  that  they  caught  sight  of 
us,  but  in  the  gloom  did  not  suspect  we  were 
white  men." 

'  '  That  perhaps  is  so,  but  while  we  were  hur- 
rying back  a  new  idea  struck  me. ' ' 

Without  waiting  to  explain,  he  walked  to  the 
dynamite  gun,  shoved  a  cartridge  down  its 
throat,  and  turned  the  weapon  toward  the  east- 
ern shore.  He  pointed  it  at  an  angle  of  forty- 
five  degrees,  which  insured  the  shell  traveling 
the  greatest  distance,  and  pulled  the  string. 

This  range  was  easily  made,  and  descending 
on  the  low  grassy  bank,  the  expected  explosion 
followed,  the  detonation  fairly  shaking  the 
earth,  particles  of  which  were  hurled  in  every 
direction,  some  of  them  as  revealed  by  the  mo- 


110  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

mentary  vivid  glare,  ascending  high  in  air, 
while  hundreds  of  bits,  as  they  fell  into  the 
river,  sounded  like  pattering  hail. 

Hardly  had  this  taken  place,  when  the  New 
Englander  had  the  gun  charged  with  a  second 
shell,  which  was  sent  after  the  first,  and  re- 
peated its  performance,  with  the  same  impres- 
sive uproar  and  destructivenss. 

Then  he  sent  a  third  cartridge  toward  the 
western  bank,  invisible  in  the  gloom,  but  the 
missile  dropped  harmlessly  into  the  water, 
doubtless  falling  far  short  of  the  shore. 

If  anything  was  certain,  it  was  that  the  east- 
ern bank,  opposite  the  stranded  steamer,  was 
thoroughly  cleared  of  our  enemies,  and  that  it 
was  now  comparatively  safe  to  repeat  our  at- 
tempt to  reach  it. 

It  was  a  clever  idea  on  the  part  of  Captain 
Higgenbottom,  as  was  proven  a  few  minutes 
later,  when  we  once  more  entered  the  canoe  and 
reached  shore  without  encountering  the  first 
sign  of  danger. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  OVERLAND  ROUTE 

CLOSE  to  the  southern  edge  of  the  torrid 
zone,  under  the  vivid  stargleam  of  a 
cloudless  sky,  wherein  the  beautiful  con- 
stellation of  the  Southern  Cross  gleamed  with 
wonderful  splendor,  Percy  Higgenbottom  and 
I  stepped  from  the  Toba  canoe  upon  the  east- 
ern bank  of  the  Pilcomayo. 

The  first  thing  done  after  setting  foot,  on  the 
flat,  grassy  plain,  was  to  give  the  craft  a  vig- 
orous shove,  which  sent  it  far  out  in  the  gloom. 
The  sluggish  current  would  carry  it  a  consid- 
erable distance  before  daylight,  and  when  dis- 
covered by  the  owners,  it  would  tell  no  tale  of 
having  served  any  white  men  in  the  way  de- 
scribed. 

Peering  in  all  directions,  we  discerned  noth- 
ing to  cause  misgiving.  No  light  showed  on 
the  stranded  steamer,  the  furnace  door  having 
been  closed  and  the  fire  having  subsided  to  that 
degree  that  all  danger  of  explosion  was  past. 

"Now,"  said  my  companion,  "the  important 

117 


118  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

thing  is  to  keep  to  the  right  course.  Yon  know 
how  prone  a  person  is  to  wander  in  a  circle 
when  traveling  without  any  guide.  We  must 
depend  wholly  upon  our  compass." 

"Our  course  should  be  southeast ?" 

"Exactly." 

"Do  you  know  how  to  allow  for  the  variation 
of  the  needle?" 

"I  did  not  forget  to  study  that  at  Asuncion 
and  Concepcion." 

The  compass  to  which  my  friend  referred 
dangled  as  a  charm  from  his  watch  chain. 
Striking  a  match,  he  carefully  shaded  the  tiny 
flame,  so  that  it  shone  only  on  the  diminutive 
glass  face.  It  took  but  a  moment  to  locate  our- 
selves. 

' '  Off  we  go, ' '  he  said,  with  something  of  his 
old  cheeriness  of  manner,  "and  may  God,  Who 
has  been  so  kind  to  us,  still  hold  us  in  His  keep- 
ing." 

"Amen,"  I  said,  and  never  was  a  prayer 
more  fervently  uttered. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  we  were  pretty 
heavily  weighted,  for  we  carried  in  addition  to 
our  small  supply  of  food,  revolvers  and  Win- 
chesters, two  elongated  cartridge  shells  each 
weighing  two  or  three  pounds.  Higgenbottom, 
as  will  be  recalled,  wore  the  ordinary  boots, 


THE  OVERLAND  ROUTE  119 

more  common  in  this  country  a  half  century 
ago  than  now,  while  I  had  leathern  leggings 
strapped  around  my  lower  limbs,  and  reaching 
to  my  knees.  Each  carried  his  rifle  resting 
over  his  right  shoulder,  and  thus  equipped  we 
set  our  faces  toward  the  Paraguayan  city  more 
than  two  hundred  miles  away,  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  immense  plain  known  as  El  Gran 
Chaco. 

Since  there  was  nothing  in  the  nature  of  a 
path  or  trail,  we  walked  side  by  side,  convers- 
ing at  times  in  low  tones,  but  contiunally  lis- 
tening and  peering  into  the  surrounding  gloom 
for  that  which  we  prayed  we  might  not  hear  or 
see. 

The  grass  was  short,  not  rising  more  than 
half  way  to  our  knees.  We  were  rugged  and 
strong,  and  had  been  cramped  so  long  on  the 
little  steamer  that  for  a  time  the  exercise  was 
pleasant. 

Aside  from  the  ever  present  danger  from  the 
fierce  Tobas,  our  situation  was  by  no  means  un- 
pleasant. In  the  first  place,  the  plain  was  so 
level  that  walking  was  comparatively  easy,  the 
grass  offering  no  obstruction  but  serving  rather 
as  a  velvety  carpet  to  our  feet,  Then  the  tem- 
perature, although  oppressive  during  the  mid- 
dle of  the  day,  was  almost  cool  at  other  times 


120  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

and  pleasant  at  night.  No  rain  would  fall  for 
months,  and  we  thus  escaped  one  of  the  most 
intolerable  afflictions  of  tropical  countries. 
True,  the  mosquitoes  at  times  were  a  pest,  but 
no  more  so  than  is  frequently  the  case  in  our 
own  favored  land  at  home. 

Although  we  did  our  best  to  follow  a  direct 
course,  and  were  quite  confident  we  were  doing 
so,  we  were  too  wise  to  rely  upon  any  im- 
pression. Within  less  than  half  an  hour  of  our 
starting  overland,  Higgenbottom  again  halted, 
and  drawing  out  his  rubber  safe  ignited  a 
match  with  the  same  care  as  before. 

"Well,  I'll  be  hanged!"  was  his  exclamation. 

I  was  looking  over  his  shoulder  and  saw  the 
cause  of  his  impatience.  Despite  our  care,  we 
were  bearing  too  much  to  the  left,  so  that  our 
course  had  become  almost  due  east. 

"That  explains  what  to  many  persons  is  in- 
explainable,"  I  remarked,  as  we  made  the 
necessary  correction  and  pressed  on  again. 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"The  reason  why  lost  persons  travel  in  a 
circle. ' ' 

"I  don't  understand  you." 

"You  notice  that  we  have  both  turned  un- 
consciously to  the  left;  each  of  us  is  right 
handed." 


THE  OVERLAND  ROUTE  121 

"What  of  it?" 

"The  disproportionate  strength  extends  to 
the  right  leg  as  well  as  the  right  arm;  we  use 
the  right  leg  with  slightly  more  vigor  than  the 
left,  and  therefore  bear  in  that  direction. " 
"Suppose  a  person  to  be  left  handed?" 
t '  Then  he  would  swerve  to  the  right. ' 9 
"And  if  ambidextrous?" 
' '  He  ought  to  go  straight  ahead. ' ' 
"Your  theory  is  the  true  one,  provided  it  is 
the  true  one ;  but  my  recollection  of  the  stories 
of  long  hunts  in  the  woods,  as  told  by  my  grand- 
father, is  that  when  a  hunter  was  lost,  he  was 
as  liable  to  turn  to  the  right  as  the  left  and  vice 
versa.    It  all  depended  upon  how  he  happened 
to  start." 

"There  are  exceptions  to  all  rules." 
"But  none  to  a  law,  since  it  would  no  longer 
be  a  law,  and  in  the  case  you  speak  of,  it  must 
be  a  law." 

"Well,  we  shall  have  to  leave  the  question 
open  for  future  investigation — helloa!  what 
does  that  mean?" 

We  had  halted  at  the  same  instant,  led  to  do 
so  by  what  seemed  to  be  the  sound  of  rumbling 
thunder — certainly  an  amazing  occurrence 
when  the  sky  was  unclouded  and  the  season  for 
storms  was  over.  It  was  not  sharp  or  explo- 


122  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

sive,  but  deep  and  muttering  without  any  in- 
crease of  volume. 

While  we  stood  listening  and  wondering,  a 
still  more  alarming  thing  was  noted :  the  earth 
under  our  feet  was  trembling,  with  a  percepti- 
ble swaying  motion.  The  noise  and  tremor  of 
the  ground  were  caused  by  an  earthquake! 

Boast  as  a  man  may,  he  can  never  become 
fully  accustomed  to  those  remarkable  occur- 
rences. It  matters  not  that  he  may  have 
passed  through  a  number  unharmed;  he  is  al- 
ways confronted  by  the  probability  that  the  new 
one  may  indulge  in  some  whim  against  which 
he  cannot  protect  himself  and  which  may  prove 
instantly  fatal. 

Visions  of  the  ground  beneath  us  suddenly 
splitting  apart  into  a  fathomless  chasm  into 
which  we  should  drop  and  be  crushed  like 
worms,  held  us  speechless,  awed  and  terrified. 

The  tremor  lasted  but  a  few  minutes,  though 
the  thunder  continued  to  mutter  faintly  for 
some  time  after  the  earthquake  itself  had 
passed.  Both  of  us  had  seen  much  more  vio- 
lent shocks  in  South  America,  but,  as  I  have 
stated,  no  one  can  be  placed  as  were  we,  with- 
out being  thoroughly  frightened,  and  he  who 
claims  the  contrary  tells  a  falsehood. 

We  resumed  our  walk,  so  impressed  by  the 


THE  OVERLAND  ROUTE  123 

occurrence  that  when  we  spoke,  we  did  so  for 
a  long  time  in  low  tones,  as  if  fearful  of  being 
overheard  by  some  one  prowling  at  our  elbow. 
By  and  by,  however,  we  rallied  and  remember- 
ing the  value  of  time,  improved  it  to  the  utmost. 

When  Higgenbottom  once  more  struck  a 
match  and  examined  his  compass,  it  was 
a  pleasure  to  learn  that  we  had  varied  only  to 
a  slight  extent  from  an  exact  southeastern 
course. 

"By  and  by,"  he  remarked,  "we  shall  be 
able  to  manage  it,  so  that  if  we  are  lost  and 
have  no  compass  we  can  stick  to  the  right  di- 
rection." 

"Provided  it  is  to  the  southeast." 

Calculating  as  best  we  could,  we  gave  our- 
selves about  six  hours  for  travel  before  the  sun 
would  appear  in  the  horizon.  Then  would  be 
the  time  for  extreme  care,  and  it  was  not  un- 
likely that  we  should  have  to  remain  in  hiding 
until  night  came,  for  we  felt  that  if  once  dis- 
covered by  a  party  of  Tobas,  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  escape  a  collision  with  them,  and, 
if  they  chanced  to  be  numerous,  it  must  prove 
fatal  to  us. 

We  took  long  strides,  and  kept  it  up  after  the 
pace  began  to  tell,  and  the  loads  we  carried 
made  themselves  manifest.  When  my  friend 


124  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

paused  again  and  looked  at  his  compass,  he 
chuckled. 

"  We  are  heading  southeast  in  a  bee  line,"  he 
explained,  "and  the  figures  on  my  watch  show 
that  day  is  at  hand. ' ' 

A  few  minutes  later,  I,  who  was  two  or  three 
paces  in  advance,  felt  my  foot  strike  water. 
My  companion  noticed  it  the  next  moment,  but 
thinking  it  was  caused  by  some  small  depression 
in  the  ground,  we  pressed  on,  only  to  find  the 
plashing  continued. 

"Higgenbottom,"  I  said,  "do  you  know  of 
any  river  or  lake  between  the  Pilcomayo  and 
the  Paraguay?" 

"I  never  heard  of  any." 

"It  looks,  then,  as  if  we  had  discovered  some 
big  body  of  water.  Even  if  we  fail  to  add  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  mysterious  river,  we  shall 
be  able  to  tell  the  public  something  new,  that  is 
if  we  ever  live  to  reach  the  public's  ear." 

For  as  I  came  to  a  stop  I  saw  the  water,  as 
reflected  in  the  starlight,  stretching  in  advance 
until  it  faded  from  sight  in  the  gloom.  That  it 
was  of  insignificant  depth  was  proven  by  the 
grass  which  showed  through  it. 

' '  This  may  compel  a  change  of  course,  but  it 
is  growing  light  and  we  would  better  wait  until 
we  can  learn  more." 


THE  OVERLAND  ROUTE  125 

Thus  we  stood  until  the  yellow  gleams  in  the 
horizon  had  increased  to  that  degree  that  we 
could  scan  the  plain  for  several  miles  in  all 
directions. 

The  outlook  was  anything  but  pleasing.  Be- 
hind us  and  to  the  north  and  south  stretched 
the  pampas,  and  it  may  be  said  that  it  did  the 
same  in  front,  but  between  us  and  the  solid  land 
in  that  direction  lay  a  body  of  water  fully  a 
mile  in  width.  Not  only  that,  but  it  extended 
north  and  south  further  than  the  eye  could 
reach,  cutting  directly  across  our  path. 

"It  is  generally  a  pretty  extensive  job  to  cir- 
cumnavigate a  river,"  I  said,  "and  there's  no 
telling  what  distance  we  shall  have  to  travel  to 
flank  this,  even  if  it  is  only  a  lake.  We  can 
readily  see  how  far  it  is  necessary  to  go  to  reach 
the  further  shore." 

"And  it  doesn't  look  deep,  for  the  heads  of 
much  of  the  grass  show  all  the  way." 

We  decided  to  cross.  Higgenbottom  was  not 
particular  about  wetting  his  boots,  but  since 
they  already  fitted  him  tightly,  he  was  afraid 
they  would  cause  him  trouble  by  shrinking. 
He  therefore  removed  them,  and  thrusting  his 
stockings  inside  hung  them  over  his  shoulder, 
and  rolling  up  his  trousers  struck  off  in  the 
water.  I  followed  without  discarding  leggings 


126  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

or  shoes,  keeping  a  little  to  the  rear,  since  there 
was  no  need  of  more  than  one  of  us  plunging 
into  an  unseen  hole. 


CHAPTEE  XIII 

A  STRANGE  PERIL 

WE  WALKED  the  whole  mile  through  the 
water,  without  once  sinking  to  a 
greater  depth  than  six  inches.  More- 
over, the  ground  was  comparatively  solid,  so 
that  we  were  not  troubled  with  anything  in  the 
nature  of  mud.  My  companion,  therefore,  had 
much  the  advantage  of  me,  since  he  was  able 
to  sit  down  and  don  dry  stockings  and  boots, 
while  it  was  the  other  way  with  me.  However, 
all  this  was  a  trifle  hardly  worth  the  mention. 

While  fording  this  temporary  lake,  the  sun 
appeared  above  the  horizon,  and  the  day  was 
fully  come  when  we  stepped  upon  land  made 
dry  because  of  its  superior  elevation. 

We  agreed  that  we  were,  to  say  the  least, 
fully  twenty  miles  from  the  Pilcomayo,  for  the 
compass  showed  we  had  traveled  a  compara- 
tively direct  course,  and  we  had  maintained  a 
good  pace,  not  counting  the  walk  through  the 
water,  and  had  been  all  of  six  hours  on  the  way. 

Now  that  our  view  reached  for  miles  in  every 

127 


128  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

direction  we  scanned  all  portions  in  our  field  of 
vision  with  the  intensest  scrutiny.  Higgenbot- 
tom  first  used  his  binocular  and  then  passed  it 
to  me.  The  gratifying  result  of  this  search 
was  that  we  discovered  no  sign  of  a  living  thing 
and  consequently,  so  far  as  we  could  judge, 
were  in  no  present  danger. 

Naturally  our  interest  lay  to  the  northwest — 
that  is  the  section  we  had  just  traversed.  The 
surface  of  the  plain  was  so  flat  that  we  could 
see  nothing  of  the  Pilcomayo  and  were  unable 
even  to  locate  it.  It  seemed  to  us  that  we  had 
good  ground  for  being  hopeful.  The  Tobas 
who  were  so  jealously  watching  the  Hail  Co- 
lumbia would  hesitate  a  long  time,  after  the 
demonstration  from  the  dynamite  cartridges,  to 
attack  it. 

The  sight  of  the  canoe  adrift  would  fail  to 
give  any  clue  to  the  use  it  had  been  put  to,  and 
it  would  be  only  through  the  most  improbable 
chance  that  they  would  learn  of  our  flight  across 
the  plain.  Should  that,  however,  come  to  their 
knowledge,  they  would  be  able  to  trail  and  run 
us  down  in  spite  of  everything  we  might  do  to 
prevent  it. 

Absolute  safety  would  seem  to  demand  that 
we  should  sit  on  the  ground  and  eat,  sleep  and 
rest  until  sunset,  for  in  such  a  posture,  varied 


A  STRANGE  PERIL  129 

by  lying  prone,  if  it  should  become  necessary, 
we  should  be  in  no  danger  of  discovery. 

But  the  prospect  of  throwing  away  valuable 
time,  when  so  many  miles  lay  before  us,  was  un- 
pleasant to  the  last  degree.  It  was  more  com- 
fortable to  travel  while  the  sun  was  shining, 
even  if  it  became  oppressive  during  the  middle 
of  the  day,  resting  only  when  our  tired  frames 
required  it,  and  it  was  easier,  too,  to  maintain, 
the  right  course  then  than  at  night. 

Finally,  after  fully  discussing  the  situation, 
we  settled  upon  what  may  be  considered  a  com- 
promise. 

We  would  eat  our  breakfast  and  then  sleep 
for  most  of  the  forenoon.  By  meridian,  we 
should  be  fully  refreshed,  and  if  all  looked  well, 
would  resume  our  journey,  continually  using  the 
glass  to  detect  the  appearance  of  danger. 

It  will  be  admitted  that  with  this  aid,  which 
enabled  us  to  see  much  farther  than  the  most 
lynx  eyed  Toba,  we  should  have  no  excuse  for 
not  discovering  the  savages  long  before  they 
could  possibly  discern  us.  The  luxuriant  grass 
was  everywhere,  making  one  spot  as  good  a  hid- 
ing place  as  another. 

We  therefore  ate  our  morning  meal  and  then 
stretched  out  on  the  bare  ground,  so  tired  that 
both  of  us  almost  immediately  sank  into  refresh- 


130  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

ing  slumber.  The  climate  was  so  mild  we 
needed  no  extra  covering  by  daytime  or  at  night, 
though  it  would  have  been  well  at  the  latter  time 
could  we  have  been  provided  with  blankets  to 
protect  us  from  the  saturating  dews. 

We  had  not  undertaken  to  bring  any  extra 
clothing  with  us,  believing  the  suits  on  our 
bodies  sufficient  to  last  for  weeks  to  come.  At 
any  rate,  if  any  mishap  befell  them,  we  should 
be  without  remedy  until  we  reached  Concep- 
cion  or  met  kind  friends,  and  of  the  latter  con- 
tingency, it  need  not  be  said  that  we  did  not 
have  the  most  shadowy  hope. 

Higgenbottom  was  the  first  to  open  his  eyes, 
and  when  he  did  so,  the  sun  had  crossed  the 
meridian  and  the  afternoon  was  well  begun. 

Bo'th  felt  like  new  men,  for  the  rest  was  what 
we  needed  and  we  were  in  exuberant  spirits. 
As  I  rose  to  a  sitting  position  and  looked 
around,  my  companion  was  standing  with  his 
binocular  to  his  eyes,  attentively  scanning  the 
surrounding  country.  Observing  that  I  had 
awakened,  he  said : 

"I  have  described  a  complete  circle  twice." 

"With  what  result?" 

"None  at  all,  which  is  the  best  possible  re- 
sult Now,  suppose  you  try  it." 

I  rose  to  my  feet  and  repeated  his  act  to  the 


A  STRANGE  PERIL  131 

extent  of  sweeping  once  every  portion  of  the 
country  that  came  within  my  range  of  vision.  I 
was  happy  to  confirm  what  he  had  said. 

"Now,"  he  remarked,  "we  ought  to  make 
twenty  or  thirty  miles  more  before  dark. ' ' 

"But  we  have  forgotten  our  dinner  or  lunch 
or  whatever  you  please  to  call  it. ' ' 

"It  is  you  who  have  forgotten  that  we  agreed 
to  go  upon  a  short  allowance  for  three  or  four 
days.  Two  meals  a  day  are  all,"  he  added  de- 
cisively. 

"By  George!  I  was  never  so  hungry  in  my 
life,"  I  said  ruefully;  "I  feel  as  if  I  hadn't 
eaten  anything  for  a  week." 

"If  you  feel  that  way,  a  half  day  won't  make 
any  difference  in  your  emotions. ' ' 

"What  can't  be  cured  must  be  endured,"  I 
replied  with  a  sigh,  appreciating  the  wisdom  of 
my  friend's  sentiments  and  with  no  thought  of 
really  opposing  them. 

As  before,  we  made  our  course  due  southeast. 
One  of  the  most  natural  things  for  a  person  to 
do  when  placed  in  a  similar  situation  is  to  make 
calculations  upon  the  extent  of  the  work  before 
him.  In  fact,  I  have  always  found  it  impossi- 
ble to  refrain  and  Higgenbottom  felt  much  as 
I  did. 

"Let  us  say  that  it  is  exactly  two  hundred 


132  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

miles  from  where  we  are  now  to  Concepcion," 
said  I,  '  '  though  I  admit  it  may  be  a  little  fur- 
ther. " 

"Say  rather  that  it  is  that  distance  to  the 
Paraguay  river,  at  a  point  north  of  Concepcion, 
for  when  we  reach  that  stream,  we  shall  find  it 
navigable,  with  plenty  of  shipping,  none  of 
which  can  possibly  be  hostile." 

"Why  not  then  make  the  river  itself  our  des- 
tination instead  of  the  city?" 

' '  That  has  been  my  purpose  from  the  begin- 
ning— that  is  in  a  certain  sense.  Concepcion 
is  the  first  place  at  which  we  wish  to  stop,  but 
I  hope  we  shall  reach  it  by  striking  the  nearest 
point  of  the  Paraguay  and  passing  down  that." 

"That's  better  yet;  then  our  overland  jour- 
ney will  be  no  more  than  two  hundred  miles?" 

"Net  unless  we  wander  off  the  track." 

"Which  is  impossible  so  long  as  you  have 
your  compass." 

"That  much  is  admitted." 

"Well,  then,  we  ought  to  travel  from  forty 
to  fifty  miles  every  twenty  four  hours,  which 
will  take  us  to  the  Paraguay  within  five  days." 

"Your  mathematics  are  correct,  but  such 
forecasts  end  nearly  always  in  disappointment. 
We  shall  have  the  plain  all  the  way,  varied  now 
and  then  by  patches  of  timber,  and  there  is  al- 


A  STRANGE  PERIL  133 

ways  the  possibility  of  finding  some  of  the 
Tobas  in  our  path.  It  may  be  that  we  shall 
have  to  stop  traveling  by  daylight,  in  which 
case,  our  time  will  be  doubled.  Besides,  sup- 
pose we  have  a  fight " 

He  did  not  complete  his  sentence,  for  there 
was  no  need  of  it.  I  felt  that  my  forecast,  as 
he  termed  it,  was  childish,  but  nevertheless  I 
could  not  help  making  it. 

Well  aware  of  the  risk  we  were  incurring, 
we  never  forgot  our  caution.  The  glass  which 
dangled  from  a  string  around  Higgenbottom's 
neck,  was  continually  raised  and  pointed  to- 
ward different  points  of  the  compass. 

I  noticed  that  he  looked  to  the  rear  as  often 
as  in  any  other  direction,  and  when  he  passed 
the  instrument  to  me  I  did  the  same,  for  our 
chief  dread,  so  long  a,s  nothing  appeared,  was 
that  of  being  pursued  by  the  savages  with  whom 
we  had  already  had  an  encounter. 

It  was  noticeable  throughout  the  first  hour  or 
two  that  the  plain,  although  comparatively 
level,  gradually  rose  until  we  must  have  been 
twenty  or  thirty  feet  above  the  Pilcomayo, 
which  had  now  been  left  a  considerable  distance 
to  the  rear.  Thenceforward,  the  pampa  was 
like  the  floor  of  a  house. 

It  was  not  yet  the  middle  of  the  afternoon, 


134  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

when  Higgenbottom,  who  was  a  short  distance 
in  advance,  held  his  binocular  pointed  eastward 
so  long  that  I  became  uneasy. 

"Have  you  discovered  anything?"  I  asked, 
stepping  beside  him. 

"Confound  it!  I  am  afraid  so,"  was  his  re- 
ply, and  passing  the  glass  to  me  he  added : 

"What  do  you  make  of  it?" 

The  moment  I  leveled  the  glass  to  the  east- 
ward, I  saw  he  was  right.  Far  away  on  the 
plain  a  peculiar  quivering  movement  was  dis- 
cernible. 

I  would  have  thought  it  was  caused  by  the 
wind  blowing  over  the  grass,  had  I  not  noticed 
that  the  space  thus  agitated  had  a  dark  brown 
color.  Suddenly  the  truth  flashed  upon  me. 

"It  is  a  herd  of  cattle,  numbering  thou- 
sands," I  said,  passing  the  glass  back  to  my 
companion. 

He  studied  the  sight  for  a  few  minutes  and 
then  added : 

"You  are  right;  it  is  one  of  those  immense 
droves  of  cattle  on  the  move ;  they  are  at  a  full 
gallop,  and,  by  heavens,  they're  coming  directly 
toward  us!" 

It  was  a  startling  fact.  The  enormous  ag- 
gregation was  speeding  over  the  plain  in  our 
direction,  and  peering  to  the  right  and  left,  we 


A  STRANGE  PERIL  135 

could  see  neither  the  beginning  nor  end  of  the 
right  or  left  wing.  It  was,  therefore,  impossi- 
ble for  us  to  get  out  ©f  their  path  by  turning 
aside. 

There  was  no  tree  within  reach  to  give 
refuge,  and  we  could  do  nothing  but  stand 
where  we  were  and  await  the  onslaught. 

Would  they  overwhelm  and  crush  us  under 
their  multitudinous  hoofs  ?  Had  we  any  means 
of  checking  them?  None  at  all,  for  it  is  well 
known  that  such  herds,  when  under  the  impulse 
of  a  stampede  or  panic,  will  dash  straight  over 
the  bluffs  of  a  river  hundreds  of  feet  in  height. 

Rather  it  should  be  said  those  at  the  rear 
crowd  over  those  in  front,  when  the  latter, 
awakening  to  their  danger,  make  frenzied  ef- 
forts to  check  themselves,  but  are  swept  irre- 
sistibly onward  by  the  fearful  rush  of  the 
thousands  behind  them. 

Could  we  turn  them  aside?  That  was  the 
only  possible  hope,  but  what  way  was  there  of 
bringing  it  about?  We  were  in  a  sorry  plight, 
indeed,  and  I  hastened  to  suggest  the  only  way 
which  occurred  to  me  to  avert  being  trampled 
to  death  by  the  oncoming  herd. 

"When  they  come  within  range,"  said  I,  "we 
will  open  fire  with  our  Winchesters,  shout  and 


136  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

wave  our  hats.  Possibly  we  can  make  them 
divide  and  pass  by  on  both  sides  of  us." 

Here  it  was  that  the  Yankee  ingenuity  of 
Percy  Higgenbottom  came  to  our  aid. 

"I  have  a  better  plan." 

As  he  spoke  he  ran  a  number  of  rods  straight 
toward  the  herd,  now  thundering  down  upon  us, 
and  placed  one  of  his  dynamite  cartridges  on  the 
ground.  Then  he  hurried  back,  glowing  and 
expectant. 

"Let  us  see  how  that  will  work." 


CHAPTEE  XIV 

A  STRANGE  DANGER  AND  A  STRANGE  ESCAPE 

IT  WORKED  beautifully. 
No  more  terrifying  sight  can  be  imag- 
ined than  that  of  the  thousands  of  panic 
stricken  cattle,  bearing  down  upon  us  in  a  wild 
stampede.  All  were  tearing  forward  at  a  head- 
long run,  snorting  with  affright,  the  myriads  of 
horns  often  striking  together  with  a  curious, 
crackling  sound,  many  emitting  short  bellows, 
eyes  glaring,  and  the  vast  herd  pouring  along 
like  the  ocean  when  it  has  broken  its  barriers 
and  is  overwhelming  a  whole  country. 

And  we  two  men  stood  directly  in  their  path, 
with  not  a  break  visible  in  the  appalling  army 
of  quadrupeds,  when  the  front  was  within  a 
hundred  yards,  coming  with  undiminished 
speed.  My  heart  was  in  my  mouth,  for  if  the 
cartridge  failed  to  explode,  we  should  be 
crushed  and  trampled  into  nothingness  within 
the  following  minute. 

Gazing  at  that  awful  torrent,  I  saw  also  the 
small  oblong  object  resting  in  the  grass  and 

137 


138  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

barely  visible  from  where  we  stood.  It  looked 
harmless  and  perhaps  was  to  prove  so,  but  of 
what  was  it  not  capable  if  it  would  only  do  its 
appointed  work! 

Suddenly  there  came  a  muffled  explosion,  and 
one,  two,  three  of  the  infuriated  cattle  rose  in 
air.  More  properly  speaking,  they  were  raised, 
and  as  they  went  up  it  was  in  small  fragments 
that  were  scattered  over  a  number  of  square 
rods. 

In  addition  to  this  trio,  more  than  twice  as 
many  were  hurled  sideways  and  forward  and 
backward,  rolling  over  and  over,  in  lumps  and 
heaps  that  bore  no  resemblance  to  their  original 
being. 

A  great  hole  was  gouged  out  of  the  ground, 
and  the  shell  acted  as  if  it  were  an  irresistible 
wedge  fired  into  the  front  of  the  herd  from  some 
giant  piece  of  ordnance.  The  terror  which  took 
possession  of  the  survivors  was  tenfold  greater 
than  that  which  would  have  checked  them  upon 
the  top  of  a  lofty  bluff  over  which  they  were 
about  to  plunge. 

With  a  power  that  otherwise  never  could 
have  been  theirs,  they  pressed  to  the  right  and 
left,  and  in  a  few  seconds  were  thundering  past 
us,  while  we  stood  in  an  open  space  that  was 
fully  a  score  of  feet  in  width. 


STRANGE  DANGER,  STRANGE  ESCAPE      139 

It  looked  as  if  our  peril  had  been  averted  in 
this  extraordinary  fashion,  but  neither  my 
friend  nor  myself  could  feel  assured  on  that 
point.  Although  from  where  we  stood,  we 
could  see  the  further  side  of  the  army  of  quad- 
rupeds, yet  many  thousands  of  furious  beasts 
were  still  in  front,  and  the  gap  was  likely  to  be 
closed  any  moment,  when  the  frightful  death 
that  had  threatened  us  before  would  be  inevi- 
table. 

Inspired  by  this  fear,  I  ran  forward  until  I 
was  as  close  as  possible  to  the  apex  of  the  angle 
formed  by  the  fan-like  space,  and  hastily  placed 
one  of  my  cartridges  on  the  ground,  in  the  same 
position  as  the  other,  and  then  instantly  dashed 
back  to  my  friend,  who  nodded  approvingly. 
He  had  been  on  the  point  of  doing  the  same 
thing. 

To  escape  the  possible  consequences  of  the 
explosion,  we  retreated  a  number  of  steps,  walk- 
ing backward  and  with  our  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
dangerous  point. 

That  which  I  anticipated  took  place.  The 
apex  kept  steadily  edging  nearer  to  us,  and  be- 
fore long  a  huge  bull,  who  must  have  gloried  in 
the  pride  of  his  tremendous  strength,  lunged 
forward  over  the  shell,  as  if  determined  that  no 


140  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

obstacle  should  swerve  him  a  hair's  breadth 
from  his  course. 

To  put  it  mildly,  that  taurus  made  a  mistake, 
for  the  next  moment  his  headless  body,  turning 
end  over  end,  soared  aloft  for  fully  twenty  feet, 
before  it  came  down  with  a  "dull  thud"  and  lay 
an  inert  pile  whose  forceful  lesson  was  not  lost 
on  his  surviving  companions. 

Others  were  slain  or  mortally  hurt,  and  the 
panic  was  greater  if  possible  than  before.  The 
rushing  swarm  was  wedged  further  apart,  so 
that  as  it  passed  us,  the  cleared  space  was 
doubled. 

A  few  minutes  later,  the  whole  herd  were  at 
our  backs,  and  we  turned  around  to  gaze  upon 
the  remarkable  sight.  The  dampness  of  the  soil 
and  the  abundance  of  grass  prevented  any  dust 
rising,  when  but  for  that  we  should  have  been 
almost  suffocated,  and,  since  our  position  was 
slightly  elevated,  we  could  see  the  moving  sea, 
the  galloping  bodies  suggesting  the  short,  agi- 
tated waves,  as  it  rolled  westward,  until  it  be- 
came a  quivering,  tremulous  dark  mass  that 
gradually  lost  all  semblance  to  its  true  character 
and  finally  faded  out  in  the  distance. 

The  first  words  spoken  were  by  Higgenbot- 
tom,  who,  in  his  quaint  way,  made  the  inquiring 
remark : 


STRANGE  DANGER,  STRANGE  ESCAPE      141 

"Suppose,  Windermyer,  we  hadn't  brought 
those  cartridges  with  us  f " 

"The  consequences  would  have  been  un- 
pleasant. ' ' 

"Slightly;  not  only  did  they  save  our  lives, 
but  they  furnished  us  with  abundant  food,  and 
I  think  I  recall  a  remark  of  yours  to  the  effect 
that  you  were  hungry. ' ' 

Going  forward,  we  found  enough  beef  at  our 
disposal  to  supply  a  meal  to  a  regiment,  and  it 
was  in  slices  to  suit  any  taste,  from  a  piece  no 
larger  than  one's  hand  to  one  weighing  thirty 
or  forty  pounds.  Moreover,  we  could  take  our 
choice  from  any  part  of  the  animal. 

But  all  was  not  as  we  could  have  wished. 
There  was  no  water  at  hand  with  which  to 
cleanse  the  steaks  and  no  means  of  kindling  a 
fire  to  cook  them;  for  despite  the  well  known 
fact  that  the  Gran  Chaco  is  broken  in  many 
places  by  patches  of  timber,  we  had  come  upon 
none,  nor,  so  far  as  we  could  see,  were  we  near 
any. 

As  in  other  cases,  we  were  forced  to  fix  upon 
a  compromise.  The  atmosphere  in  most  of 
South  America  is  so  dry  that  meat  does  not 
spoil,  when  exposed  to  it.  On  many  of  the 
boats  navigating  the  inland  streams,  or  at  the 
ranches  in  the  interior,  the  flesh  of  animals 


142  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

when  exposed  for  a  few  days,  becomes  thor- 
oughly dried  or  "  jerked  ''without  losing  any  of 
its  sweetness. 

It  need  hardly  be  said  that  the  cattle  which 
we  had  encountered  were  in  no  condition  for 
the  market.  They  were  thin  and  lean,  better 
fitted  for  running,  as  they  had  proved,  than  for 
the  table;  but  we  cut  several  thin  strips  from 
the  parts  that  were  the  least  tough  and  stringy, 
and  flung  them  over  our  shoulders. 

Hungry  as  I  was,  I  preferred  to  wait  until 
the  supply  brought  with  us  was  exhausted  be- 
fore eating  the  fresh  meat.  Besides,  there  was 
hope  of  coming  upon  wood  which  would  permit 
us  to  broil  the  steaks. 

To  do  all  this  required  much  more  time  than 
has  been  taken  in  the  telling.  We  were  on  the 
point  of  resuming  our  journey  eastward,  when 
my  companion  asked : 

"What  do  you  suppose  stampeded  those  cat- 
tle?" 

"It  might  have  been  one  of  a  dozen  causes, 
or  simply  a  whim  of  some  of  them.  On  the 
Llano  Estacado  of  Texas  and  the  prairies 
further  north,  I  have  been  told  T>y  cattlemen 
that  an  animal  in  the  middle  of  a  herd  may 
happen  to  have  a  bad  dream,  and  by  his  cavort- 
ings  start  off  the  whole  drove  in  a  stampede. 


STRANGE  DANGER,  STRANGE  ESCAPE      143 

I  don't  believe  there  is  a  more  stupid  creature 
for  its  size  in  the  world  than  a  cow,  unless  it's 
a  big  bull.  Whoever  heard  of  a  trained  cow?" 

"All  that  may  be  true,  but  I  feel  a  trifle  un- 
easy over  this  affair." 

He  emphasized  his  misgiving  by  again  bring- 
ing his  glass  to  his  eyes  and  attentively  scru- 
tinizing the  country  to  the  eastward.  If  it 
should  so  happen  that  a  party  of  Tobas  had 
caused  the  stampede,  we  were  in  peculiar  dan- 
ger, for  the  grass  upon  which  we  had  hitherto 
relied  to  hide  us  when  we  lay  down,  had  been 
trampled  flat  by  the  tens  of  thousands  of  hoofs, 
and  would  afford  no  screen  whatever.  This 
condition  extended  so  far  to  the  north  and 
south  that  it  would  be  like  flanking  a  river  or 
lake  to  pass  around  it,  while  the  extent  east- 
ward was  indefinite. 

But  we  might  as  well  go  forward  as  to  stand 
still,  and  we  did  so,  Higgenbottom  keeping 
slightly  in  advance,  frequently  using  his  binocu- 
lar and  not  forgetting  to  shape  his  course  by 
his  compass.  We  should  have  been  relieved 
had  it  been  later  in  the  day,  for  there  was  good 
ground  for  alarm. 

It  did  seem  as  if  there  never  was  a  threat- 
ened danger  in  that  pestiferous  country  that 
did  not  prove  a  reality ;  for  we  had  not  walked 


144:  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

a  mile  when  we  discerned  a  party  of  mounted 
Indians,  who  assuredly  were  Tobas,  directly  in 
our  front  and  riding  as  straight  for  us  as  the 
cattle  had  come  a  short  time  before. 

The  strange  fact  about  their  appearance  was 
that  Higgenbottom  first  discovered  them  with- 
out the  aid  of  his  glass,  and  I  observed  them  at 
the  same  moment.  So  sudden  indeed  did  they 
show  themselves  that  it  looked  as  if  riders  and 
horses  had  been  lying  on  the  ground  and  had 
suddenly  risen  to  their  feet,  though  it  was  in- 
credible that  such  should  have  been  the  fact. 

But  there  they  were,  apparently  two  score  in 
number,  and  it  looked  as  if  we  were  inextricably 
caught. 

One  thing  was  evident :  we  were  only  adding 
to  our  peril  by  maintaining  our  erect  position, 
for  we  must  be  visible  to  any  horsemen  that 
were  visible  us. 

One  of  the  peculiarities  marking  the  stam- 
pede of  the  cattle  was  that  here  and  there,  scat- 
tered over  the  plain,  were  the  dead  bodies  of 
some  of  them.  Perhaps  one  stumbled.  If  so, 
he  never  had  the  chance  to  rise  again,  since  he 
was  immediately  trampled  to  death  by  the  mad 
throng  behind  him. 

At  any  rate,  they  were  stretched  before  us, 


STRANGE  DANGER,  STRANGE  ESCAPE      145 

scattered  here  and  there  like  tiny  islets  in  a 
lake. 

It  happened  that  two  such  bodies  lay  near  to- 
gether and  only  a  short  way  off.  My  compan- 
ion and  I  ran  to  them  and  dropped  to  the 
ground,  facing  the  oncoming  horsemen. 

"If  I  could  make  certain  of  the  exact  line 
they  will  follow, ' '  said  Higgenbottom,  ' '  I  would 
lay  my  remaining  cartridge  in  front  of  them." 

"The  prospect  of  its  serving  us  is  too  slight. 
Besides,  they  may  turn  off  to  one  side  and  pass 
us  by." 

"It  is  probable  they  saw  us  before  we  lay 
down." 

"But  not  certain;  there  are  so  many  dead 
bodies  that  these  will  serve  as  screens  for  us. 
They  have  no  reason  to  expect  two  white  men 
to  be  wandering  through  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try." 

' '  That  may  all  be,  and  yet  if  they  saw  us  be- 
fore we  lay  down  they  will  be  sure  to  investi- 
gate. Could  it  have  been  ihey  who  stampeded 
the  cattle?" 

"No;  for,  if  so,  they  would  not  have  been  so 
far  to  the  rear;  their  horses  can  outspeed  any 
other  quadruped,  and  they  would  have  been  on 
the  heels  of  the  cattle  or  among  them. ' ' 

But  it  was  useless  to  speculate.  We  kept 
10 


146  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

our  faces  toward  the  Tobas,  the  rifle  of  each 
resting  on  the  body  in  front,  which  served  as  a 
barricade  and  we  hoped  also  as  a  screen  against 
discovery.  The  savages  were  approaching  at 
an  easy  gallop  and  were  soon  so  near  that  we 
counted  them.  Inasmuch  as  each  made  the 
number  the  same — twenty  three — it  is  quite 
certain  we  were  right. 


CHAPTER  XV 

RIDING  DOUBLE 

AS  I  have  stated,  there  could  be  no  doubt 
that  the  approaching  horsemen  belonged 
to  the  dreaded  tribe  of  Tobas.  They 
were  a  formidable  body,  almost  naked,  with 
their  painted  breasts  and  faces,  and  immense 
bushy  heads  of  hair,  their  big  bows  and  spears, 
and  their  fully  warranted  self  confidence. 

They  are  lords  of  El  Gran  Chaco,  and  will 
remain  supreme  until  some  powerful  military 
force  marches  through  their  country  and 
sweeps  the  dusky  desperadoes  from  its  path. 

Like  our  own  wild  Indians,  all  rode  bare- 
back, the  only  implement  used  to  help  in  man- 
aging their  animals  being  a  halter,  made  of  the 
tough  bark  of  some  tree,  with  one  end  twisted 
around  the  nose  of  the  beast. 

The  horses  themselves  are  small  animals  that 
are  properly  ponies,  possessing  considerable 
speed  and  great  endurance.  They  are  of  pure 
blood,  though  wild  asses  and  mules  are  often 

147 


148  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

encountered  on  the  pampas  of  the  South  Ameri- 
can countries. 

Those  which  we  were  watching  were  gen- 
erally of  a  dark  bay  color,  with  black  points, 
and  several  showed  white  markings.  Two  or 
three  were  of  a  coal  black  hue,  and  one  was 
curiously  mottled  like  the  trick  animals  some- 
times seen  in  a  circus. 

The  great  question  with  us  was  whether  these 
Tobas  knew  that  two  white  men  were  lying  each 
behind  the  body  of  a  dead  cow  and  watching 
them.  Hope  was  awakened  when,  while  the 
horsemen  were  a  fourth  of  a  mile  away,  they 
were  observed  to  veer  slightly  to  their  right, 
which  course,  if  continued,  would  take  them  to 
the  north  of  us,  though  by  no  means  as  far  as 
we  could  desire. 

"That  may  mean  that  they  have  not  seen 
us,"  remarked  my  companion,  who  was  no 
more  than  a  dozen  feet  from  me,  "or  it  may 
be  a  movement  intended  as  a  reconnoisance. " 

"More  likely  the  latter." 

When  directly  opposite,  they  were  two  hun- 
dred yards  distant  and  still  apparently  in  di- 
rect pursuit  of  the  vanishing  herd  of  cattle,  a 
fact  which  warranted  us  in  hoping  they  had  not 
discovered  us. 

But,  as  in  the  former  instances,  the  outcome 


RIDING  DOUBLE  149 

was  the  very  thing  we  feared.  Hardly  was  the 
party  at  the  point  named,  when  it  was  revealed 
that  they  were  aware  of  our  presence.  All 
halted,  and  two  headed  straight  for  us,  coming 
on  a  slow  walk,  while  the  others,  who  had  been 
riding  at  an  easy  canter,  attentively  watched 
them. 

We  had  shifted  our  own  positions  so  as  to 
face  them,  our  bodies  protected  by  those  of  the 
dead  animals.  Each  held  his  Winchester 
aimed,  for  in  such  a  situation  everything  de- 
pends upon  promptness. 

The  two  Tobas  who  were  thus  drawing  near 
were  of  unusual  size,  and  one  I  should  judge 
from  his  appearance,  had  a  stature  of  at  least 
six  feet.  This  fellow  bestrode  the  mottled  pony 
to  which  I  have  alluded,  and  was  armed  with 
an  immense  bow  and  arrow. 

The  horse  of  the  other  was  of  a  shining,  coal 
black  color,  and  the  rider  carried  a  long  spear 
at  his  hip,  the  point  projecting  in  front  of  his 
animal's  head,  while  the  butt  extended  beyond 
his  tail.  It  was  a  dangerous  weapon,  which  he 
could  hurl  with  wonderful  accuracy  for  a  long 
distance,  and  a  shudder  came  over  me  as  I  re- 
flected that  it  was  more  than  probable  the  point 
had  been  dipped  in  deadly  venom. 

The  one  with  the  bow  and  arrow  was  slightly 


150  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

in  advance  of  his  companion,  and  both  of  us 
believed  him  to  be  the  real  leader.  Their 
ponies  continued  their  slow  advance,  until  with- 
in bow-shot,  when  they  paused  and  the  archer 
began  coolly  fitting  an  arrow  to  his  bow. 

All  this  time  our  hats  showed  over  the  barri- 
cades, and  we  did  not  remove  our  gaze  from  the 
two  enemies.  The  action  of  the  bowman 
proved  that  he  intended  to  launch  his  deadly 
missile  at  the  New  Englander,  while  the  spear- 
man's preliminary  actions  indicated  that  I  had 
been  selected  as  his  victim. 

The  moment  had  come  when  any  further  hesi- 
tation on  our  part  meant  death. 

Higgenbottom  and  I  fired  exactly  together 
and  neither  threw  away  his  shot.  The  archer 
was  in  the  act  of  sighting  his  arrow,  when  with 
a  howl  he  recoiled  and  then  rolled  sideways  to 
the  ground.  My  man  did  precisely  the  same 
thing,  and  both  ponies,  panic  stricken  by  the 
occurrence,  threw  up  their  heads  with  snorts  of 
affright,  and  galloping  about  in  a  half  circle, 
headed  for  the  group  at  the  rear. 

"Now  give  it  to  them!"  added  my  compan- 
ion, springing  to  his  feet,  pointing  his  gun  at 
the  group  and  firing  four  charges  in  rapid  suc- 
cession. 

The  idea  was  good,  for  it  promised  to  stam- 


RIDING  DOUBLE  151 

pede  the  party,  and  sighting  my  repeater  as 
quickly  as  I  could,  I  went  my  friend  one  better, 
by  sending  five  bullets  among  the  dazed  sav- 
ages. 

What  is  more  all  of  the  shots  were  not  thrown 
away.  One  of  mine  killed  a  pony  and  the  howl 
of  the  Toba  showed  that  Higgenbottom  had  hit 
him  hard,  for  he  dived  involuntarily  off  his 
animal  as  it  fell,  but  with  vivacious  nimbleness 
ran  to  the  black  horse  from  which  I  had  shot 
the  rider,  and  with  a  powerful  leap,  landed 
astride  of  him,  and  hammering  his  naked  heels 
against  his  ribs,  sent  him  skurrying  after  the 
others  who  were  speeding  away  like  mad. 

The  whole  party  had  been  put  to  flight,  see- 
ing which  we  sat  down  on  the  ground  and  partly 
replenished  the  magazines  of  our  rifles,  neither 
of  us  credulous  enough  to  believe  that  that  was 
the  last  by  any  means  of  the  Tobas.  A  singu- 
lar occurrence  followed. 

The  savages  halted  fully  an  eighth  of  a  mile 
distant — too  far  for  us  to  throw  away  any  shot. 
Two  of  the  miscreants,  most  likely  leaders  both, 
lay  lifeless  on  the  plain,  while  the  mottled  horse 
of  which  I  have  spoken,  and  upon  which  the  tall 
bowman  had  ridden,  refused  to  follow  his  com- 
panions. 

Standing  motionless,  with  head  high  in  air 


152  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

and  his  bark  halter  dangling  to  the  ground,  he 
emitted  a  neigh  and  looked  directly  at  us.  The 
brute  seemed  to  ask  by  his  action : 

"Who  are  you  and  what  do  you  mean  by 
slaying  my  master  ? ' ' 

Then,  stranger  than  that,  the  piebald  began 
walking  slowly  toward  my  companion,  just  as 
the  timid  but  curious  antelope  will  draw  near 
the  signal  that  has  been  displayed  on  purpose 
to  entice  him  within  range  of  the  hunter. 

"What  a  splendid  fellow!"  exclaimed  Hig- 
genbottom  admiringly;  "but  he  has  all  the  cu- 
riosity of  a  woman." 

When  he  was  within  a  hundred  feet,  head  still 
high,  his  silky  nostrils  snuffing  the  air  and  step- 
ping hesitatingly,  a  new  hope  came  to  us. 

"What  a  prize  if  we  can  capture  him !  Don't 
do  anything  to  frighten  him." 

More  and  more  timidly  he  advanced  until 
half  of  the  intervening  distance  was  passed. 
At  that  point,  his  fear  overcame  his  curiosity, 
if  it  was  really  that  feeling  which  agitated  him, 
and  he  stood  still,  not  daring  to  come  any 
closer. 

His  unaccountable  action  caused  my  comrade 
to  resolve  to  make  him  our  own.  Without  ris- 
ing from  his  prone  position,  Higgenbottom 
spoke  gently,  uttering  a  number  of  soothing 


RIDING  DOUBLE  153 

words,  which  seemed  to  produce  the  desired 
effect,  for  when  the  man  rose  so  as  to  reveal 
the  upper  part  of  his  body,  the  horse,  which  had 
shown  a  disposition  to  break  into  flight,  stood 
still,  pointed  his  nose  toward  him  and  snuffed 
again. 

My  friend  now  rose  to  his  feet,  and  stepping 
around  the  barricade,  began  cautiously  ap- 
proaching the  pony.  He  kept  up  his  gentle  utter- 
ances and  held  a  banana  extended  in  his  hand. 
When  the  animal  seemed  on  the  point  of  break- 
ing away,  Higgenbottom  stopped,  but  continued 
his  persuasive  wooing. 

Thus  the  advance  went  on  step  by  step,  the 
course  of  the  horse  being  the  most  extraordi- 
nary in  some  respects  that  I  have  ever  seen. 
The  moment  came,  when  with  a  quick  move- 
ment, my  companion  leaped  slightly  forward, 
seized  the  dangling  halter  and  held  the  animal 
a  prisoner. 

Eealizing  this,  the  captive  snorted  and  tugged 
to  get  away,  but  was  held  fast.  After  his  nose 
and  neck  had  been  patted,  he  seemed  to  lose  all 
fear,  and  obediently  followed  the  halter  grasped 
by  his  new  master  back  to  where  I  had  risen 
to  my  feet. 

The  Tobas,  who  saw  all  this  from  a  dis- 
tance, must  have  been  as  much  astonished  as 


154  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

we,  but  they  made  no  move  to  interfere.  Al- 
most at  the  moment  their  former  property  was 
captured,  they  broke  into  a  gallop,  heading 
northward,  leaving  the  two  lifeless  bodies 
stretched  on  the  ground  and  one  of  their  best 
horses  in  our  hands. 

"That  isn't  the  last  of  them  by  any  means," 
I  said  to  Higgenbottom,  as  we  both  gazed  after 
the  party. 

"You  are  right,  and  this  isn't  the  place  to 
wait  for  them ;  they  have  gone  after  reinforce- 
ments," 

"Ah,  if  we  only  could  have  secured  another 
of  their  ponies,  we  might  laugh  them  to  scorn, ' ' 
said  I. 

"But  since  that  is  out  of  the  question,  we 
must  make  the  best  use  of  the  one  that  was 
good  enough  to  come  to  us." 

Higgenbottom  vaulted  upon  the  shiny  back 
of  the  mottled  steed,  and  I  sprang  up  behind 
him.  It  took  but  a  few  minutes  to  adjust  our- 
selves to  our  new  surroundings,  during  which 
the  pony  showed  natural  nervousness,  but  be- 
haved better  than  we  expected. 

I  steadied  myself  by  placing  one  arm  around 
the  waist  of  my  friend,  who,  holding  his  rifle 
in  his  left  hand  and  grasping  the  bridle  with  his 
right,  glanced  at  his  compass,  fixed  the  right 


RIDING  DOUBLE  155 

course  in  Ms  mind,  and  spoke  gently  to  the 
animal. 

The  latter  stepped  forward  without  any  urg- 
ing, and  broke  into  the  easiest  swinging  canter 
that  can  be  imagined.  Looking  behind  us,  the 
Toba  party  was  almost  invisible  to  the  north- 
ward. 

Now,  while  the  horse,  which  Higgenbottom 
immediately  christened  Uncle  Sam,  in  memory 
of  his  dynamite  gun,  was  probably  the  equal  in 
speed  and  endurance  of  any  other  of  his  species, 
it  must  be  remembered  that  he  was  doing  double 
duty.  Each  of  us  was  quite  large  and  heavy, 
and  it  was  unreasonable  to  hope  that  in  case  of 
pursuit  our  steed  could  travel  either  as  fast  or 
as  far  as  his  pursuers. 

This  being  axiomatic,  as  may  be  said,  we 
proceeded  to  make  hay  while  the  sun  shone. 
The  canter  appeared  to  be  the  natural  gait  of 
the  animal,  and  he  was  allowed  to  maintain  it, 
while  the  miles  were  rapidly  placed  behind  us. 

It  was  agreed  to  let  him  follow  his  own 
wishes.  When  tired,  he  might  drop  to  a  walk 
or  stop  altogether  as  he  preferred.  If  hungry, 
we  soon  reached  a  section  untrampled  by  the 
stampeded  cattle,  where  he  could  eat  his  fill. 

His  endurance  was  amazing,  for  he  kept  up 
his  voluntary  flight  for  hour  after  hour  until 


156  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

the  afternoon  was  well  advanced.  Then,  when 
Higgenbottom,  out  of  pitying  admiration  for 
the  noble  creature,  drew  him  down  to  a  walk,  it 
suddenly  occurred  to-  him  that  during  all  that 
time  he  had  forgotten  to  consult  his  compass. 
He  now  hastened  to  do  so  and  immediately  ut- 
tered the  disgusted  exclamation  : 

"  Well,  I  '11  be  hanged!  We're  away  off!  We 
have  been  traveling  due  north  for  I  don 't  know 
how  many  hours. ' ' 


CHAPTER  XVI 

AT  BAY 

THE  blunder  was  the  more  exasperating 
since  there  was  no  palliation  for  it. 
Strange  that  in  the  novel  experience  of 
riding  double  across  the  pampa,  neither  Higgen- 
bottom  nor  I  had  once  thought  of  the  danger  of 
wandering  from  the  true  course. 

"Confound  it!"  he  added  with  impatient 
waggery;  "it  seems  that  a  horse  as  well  as  a 
man  will  travel  in  a  circle  when  left  to  him- 
self." 

"It  may  be  that  in  the  case  of  Uncle  Sam  he 
did  it  purposely  to  find  his  former  companions 
who  disappeared  in  that  direction." 

The  possibility  of  this  being  the  fact  startled 
my  friend  into  slewing  the  animal  around,  so 
that  we  traveled  nearer  south  than  southeast. 
We  had  not  neglected  to  scan  the  horizon  for 
our  enemies,  and,  as  if  to  complete  our  misfor- 
tunes, we  now  caught  sight  of  them  approach- 
ing from  the  north,  not  distant  more  than  a 

157 


158  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

couple  of  miles,  and  of  course  heading  for  us. 

The  party  numbered  fifty  or  more,  and  we 
did  not  doubt  that  it  included  those  with  whom 
we  had  had  our  last  brush.  So  it  was  true,  as 
we  suspected  from  the  first,  that  they  had  gone 
in  quest  of  reinforcements,  and,  having  obtained 
them,  now  " meant  business." 

At  the  same  moment,  we  made  another  dis- 
covery. Directly  ahead  loomed  one  of  the 
buttes,  such  as  are  often  seen  on  our  own  west- 
ern prairies,  and  it  was  fully  a  hundred  feet  in 
height.  We  scanned  it  with  deep  interest  and 
my  companion  said : 

"I  believe  we  shall  have  to  make  our  last 
stand  there." 

"Why?" 

"I  have  noticed  within  the  last  few  minutes 
that  the  Tobas  are  gaining  on  us.  As  grand  a 
horse  as  Uncle  Sam  is,  he  cannot  carry  two  men 
of  our  weight  as  fast  as  those  animals  can 
travel,  with  a  single  rider  apiece.  If  we  keep 
straight  on,  we  shall  be  overtaken  inside  of  an 
hour,  and  it  will  probably  be  on  the  open  plain, 
where  we  shall  not  have  half  a  chance  to  defend 
ourselves.  We  can  put  up  a  decent  fight  at 
that  bluff." 

"I  agree  with  you;  let's  make  for  it." 

He  had  already  headed  the  pony  that  way, 


AT  BAY  159 

and,  with  slight  urging,  he  broke  into  a  swift 
run,  the  still  air  fanning  our  faces  in  a  breeze, 
while  his  hoofs  beat  the  soft  earth  with  a 
rhythmic  sound  that  showed  how  fast  the  noble 
creature  was  traveling. 

"I  hope  those  cartridges  of  ours  will  not  be 
jolted  into  exploding,"  remarked  the  New  Eng- 
lander,  "but  we've  got  to  take  the  chances." 

Glancing  back,  the  mounted  Tobas  were  seen 
thundering  along  at  the  top  of  their  speed,  and 
there  could  be  no  mistake  as  to  their  gaining 
fast  upon  us.  They  were  coming  up,  as  may 
be  said,  hand  over  hand.  But  there  was  little 
fear  of  our  failing  to  reach  the  supposed  refuge 
in  time,  unless  overtaken  by  some  mishap. 

Nothing  of  that  nature  intervened,  and  with 
the  same  majestic  stride,  Uncle  Sam  brought  us 
to  the  foot  of  the  bluff,  while  the  Tobas  were 
still  at  a  distance  that  threatened  no  harm  to 
us.  It  was  no  time  for  sentiment,  and  the 
steaming  steed  had  hardly  halted,  when  we 
leaped  to  the  ground. 

"Good  by!"  said  Higgenbottom ;  "you  did  us 
a  splendid  turn,  and  I  wish  we  could  keep  you, 
but  it  is  impossible.  Off  with  you!" 

On  receiving  a  resounding  slap  on  the  haunch, 
the  animal  snorted  his  farewell  and  facing  his 
companions,  trotted  away  to  meet  them. 


160  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

The  bluff  upon  which  all  our  hopes  were  now 
centered  was,  as  I  have  said,  all  of  a  hundred 
feet  high.  It  was  as  if  an  acre  of  earth,  cov- 
ered with  grass,  had  been  pushed  upward  to 
that  height,  leaving  the  sides  composed  of 
gravel,  clay  and  dirt,  rising  out  of  the  earth 
and  roughened  and  crumbling  from  the  expo- 
sure to  the  weather. 

Another  comparison  suggested  by  its  appear- 
ance was  that  of  an  immense  bouquet  or  nose- 
gay, though  of  course  the  flowers  were  lacking. 

Our  first  fear,  as  we  approached  it,  was  that 
the  slope  was  so  nearly  perpendicular  on  all 
sides  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  climb  it. 
Higgenbottom  dashed  forward  in  one  direction 
and  I  the  other,  meeting  on  the  opposite  side. 

"I  think  we  can  do  it  here,"  said  my  com- 
panion, clearly  nervous  over  the  critical  situa- 
tion. 

"We  must!"  I  replied,  instantly  starting  up 
the  incline,  which  was  so  nearly  vertical  that  it 
taxed  my  utmost  strength. 

The  ground  crumbled  under  my  feet  and  I 
had  taken  but  a  few  steps  when  I  slid  back 
again. 

"A  little  to  the  left,"  suggested  Higgenbot- 
tom, who  had  already  made  some  progress  and 
was  therefore  in  advance;  "it  is  all  the  better 


AT  BAY  161 

for  us  that  it  is  so  hard  to  climb;  it  will  make 
the  job  tougher  for  the  Tobas." 

"And  I  am  afraid  too  tough  for  us." 

But  the  next  moment  I  was  encouraged  by 
the  fact  that  though  I  slipped  and  stumbled  I 
was  really  ascending  the  steep  slope.  My 
friend  in  front  of  me  was  my  "pacer"  so  to 
speak,  and  I  grimly  vowed  to  keep  at  his  heels. 

Our  position  prevented  us  from  seeing  the 
savages,  but  they  were  coming  like  a  whirlwind 
and  would  soon  be  in  sight  of  us. 

Bepeatedly  it  looked  as  if  we  were  stopped 
for  good,  and  would  have  to  make  our  stand  on 
the  side  of  the  cliff,  where  the  advantage  was 
fatally  less  than  on  the  crest,  but  we  were  in- 
spired by  the  most  powerful  of  all  motives — 
the  hope  of  life;  and,  panting  and  almost 
breathless,  in  imminent  peril  of  rolling  down  to 
the  base  with  the  streams  of  debris  that  were 
continually  sweeping  under  our  feet,  we  toiled 
onward,  with  a  desperation  that  was  at  the 
highest  tension. 

Finally,  only  a  dozen  feet  separated  us  from 
the  summit. 

I  was  looking  at  my  leader  when  an  object 

suddenly  appeared  in  the  brief  space  between 

us  and  then  slid  down  with  the  rattling  dirt 

passing  beneath  me.    It  was  an  Indian  arrow, 

11 


162  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

launched  by  one  of  the  Tobas,  and  casting  a 
glance  below,  I  saw  that  the  whole  party  of 
horsemen  had  arrived  and  were  grouped  at  the 
base  where  we  began  our  laborious  climb. 

I  said  nothing  to  my  friend,  for  it  could  do 
no  good.  He  was  straining  every  nerve  and  so 
was  I.  But  a  second  arrow  was  fired,  and  I 
distinctly  felt  it  graze  my  ear. 

A  cold  shudder  thrilled  me  and  for  the  in- 
stant I  believed  I  had  been  wounded ;  but  other 
missiles  were  sure  to  follow,  and  it  was  not  to 
be  expected  that  all  or  even  many  of  them 
would  miss  their  mark. 

Had  the  bluff  been  ten  feet  higher,  we  should 
have  been  forced  to  stop,  even  though  exposed 
to  certain  death,  to  regain  our  breath  and 
strength.  As  it  was,  Higgenbottom  was  barely 
able  to  drag  himself  over  the  edge,  where  he  lay 
on  his  face,  so  used  up  that  he  could  only  pant, 
too  exhausted  to  gasp  a  syllable. 

And  my  plight  was  equally  distressing.  By 
superhuman  exertion,  I  pulled  myself  over,  un- 
able even  to  draw  my  feet  out  of  sight,  until  I 
caught  my  breath.  We  had  no  more  strength 
than  a  couple  of  children,  and  had  a  single 
Toba  appeared  on  the  scene,  within  the  follow- 
ing five  minutes,  he  could  have  wrought  his 


AT  BAY  163 

sweet  will  with  us,  and  we  not  able  to  raise  a 
hand  to  defend  ourselves. 

But  in  a  little  while  we  pulled  ourselves  fur- 
ther from  the  margin  of  the  bluff  and  managed 
to  speak  in  broken  sentences. 

"I  wonder  if  they  dare  follow,"  was  the  first 
thing  uttered  by  my  companion. 

I  slewed  my  body  around  and  still  lying  on 
my  face,  peered  over. 

Two  nearly  naked  Tobas  were  not  only  climb- 
ing the  same  steep  ascent,  but  were  half  way 
up !  They  must  have  started  while  we  were  on 
the  way. 

The  daring  of  those  wretches  is  unsurpassa- 
ble, and  helps  to  account  for  the  annihilation  of 
scores  of  explorers  who  attempted  to  follow  the 
Pilcomayo  through  the  Gran  Chaco. 

"I  guess  we're  good  enough  for  you,"  I 
grimly  muttered,  as  I  drew  my  Winchester 
round  in  front. 

"Hold  on,"  said  Higgenbottom,  "let  them 
come  nearer  and  then  we  will  use  our  re- 
volvers." 

I  liked  the  suggestion,,  and,  laying  my  larger 
weapon  aside,  drew  one  of  my  pistols,  in  imita- 
tion of  my  companion. 

One  reason  for  allowing  the  savages  to  come 
closer  was  that  it  gave  us  a  few  more  minutes 


164  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

in  which  to  recover  our  full  strength.  Our 
respiration  rapidly  decreased,  while  we  fur- 
tively watched  the  wretches  steadily  coming 
upward,  with  the  large  group  below  watching 
them. 

They  were  much  better  climbers  than  we,  for 
they  progressed  with  little  apparent  exertion. 
Had  they  started  when  we  were  half  way  up 
the  slope,  they  would  have  overtaken  us  at  the 
upper  edge. 

But  of  what  could  they  be  thinking?  Did 
they  suppose  that  after  our  terrific  effort,  we 
would  lie  supinely  down  and  permit  them  to 
slay  us?  Were  these  a  couple  of  ambitious 
warriors,  eager  to  earn  the  applause  of  their 
brethren? 

Not  wishing  to  draw  a  flight  of  arrows  while 
our  heads  projected  over  the  margin,  we  drew 
back,  carefully  examined  our  revolvers,  and 
awaited  the  moment  when  the  two  should  come 
within  certain  range. 

As  in  our  own  case,  one  was  following  the 
other,  the  passageway  being  too  narrow  to  al- 
low them  to  walk  side  by  side,  but  they  were  so 
near,  that  the  one  at  the  rear  could  touch  his 
leader  at  any  moment  with  outstretched  hand. 

"I  claim  the  first  shot,"  said  Higgenbottom, 


AT  BAY  165 

as  with  pistol  grasped,  he  thrust  his  head  for- 
ward again  and  looked  over. 

Hardly  had  I  time  to  do  the  same,  when  he  let 
fly.  The  Toba  was  no  more  than  twenty  feet 
below,  when  the  two  shots  were  fired,  both 
speeding  true  to  their  aim,  and,  hitting  the 
leader  fairly  in  the  breast.  Either  bullet  would 
have  been  fatal. 

With  a  rasping  screech,  he  flung  his  arms 
aloft,  leaped  upward  and  backward  several  feet, 
and,  before  his  companion  could  dodge,  struck 
him  as  if  fired  from  a  catapult.  The  impact 
was  resistless,  and  carried  the  second  off  his 
feet, 

The  two  went  rolling,  sliding  and  tumbling, 
so  mixed  up  with  the  rattling  dirt  and  gravel 
that  it  was  impossible  to  tell  them  apart,  or  to 
distinguish  the  dead  man  from  the  live  one. 

But  I  took  a  shot  as  may  be  said  for  luck, 
though  never  able  to  learn  whether  I  struck  the 
living  or  defunct  one,  or  whether  I  missed  both. 
They  never  ceased  falling,  and  sped  downward 
until  they  slumped  to  the  level  ground  at  the 
feet  of  the  amazed  horsemen,  who,  I  may  say 
without  too  much  self  esteem,  must  have  con- 
cluded that  they  were  up  against  as  lively  a 
couple  of  explorers  as  it  had  ever  been  their 
fate  to  meet. 


166  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Moreover,  something  more  of  the  same  na- 
ture was  quite  likely  to  happen  if  this  foolish- 
ness continued.  For  a  while  we  thought  that 
others  would  try  it  at  once,  in  spite  of  the  fate 
of  the  first  two,  for  they  do  not  know  the  mean- 
ing of  fear  as  we  had  reason  to  know.  How- 
ever, the  more  enthusiastic  were  restrained  by 
the  cooler  heads.  Our  next  dangers  were  to 
come  in  another  way. 


CHAPTER  XVH 

A  DESPERATE  SCHEME 

I  AM  quite  convinced  that  the  reader  will 
concede  one  merit  to  Percy  Higgenbottom 
and  myself,  the  same  being  our  disposition 
to  face  unflinchingly  any  and  every  peril  that 
confronted  us,  and  not  to  allow  ourselves  to  be 
misled  by  false  hopes. 

Now,  here  we  were,  on  the  crest  of  the  butte, 
which  was  as  level  as  a  floor,  covered  with  grass 
and  no  trees,  the  appearance  suggesting  the 
origin  to  which  allusion  has  already  been  made, 
namely,  that  of  a  section  of  the  pampa  having 
been  pushed  upward  from  the  level  to  a  height 
of  a  hundred  feet. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  butte  which  we  had 
climbed  and  upon  which  we  turned  at  bay,  could 
be  scaled  only  on  one  side,  wh^re  the  ascent 
was  so  steep  that  the  work  was  exhausting  to 
the  last  degree.  We  had  made  that  climb,  and 
generously  armed  as  we  were,  could  hold  a 
thousand  Tobas  at  bay. 

This  was  exceedingly  comforting  in  one  re- 

167 


168  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

spect,  but  what  of  it?  We  were  virtually 
caught  in  a  trap,  from  which  no  way  offered  it- 
self of  escaping.  We  had  enough  food  to  last 
us  a  week  by  husbanding  the  supply,  but  we 
were  without  a  drop  of  water  with  which  to 
quench  our  thirst. 

All  the  savages,  therefore,  had  to  do,  was  to 
hold  their  place  at  the  base  of  the  butte,  or 
within  a  short  distance,  and  we  should  be  forced 
to  descend  and  fight  it  out  with  them  or  await  a 
lingering  death  on  the  summit.  In  common  but 
expressive  language,  our  enemies  had  us  foul. 

"There's  nothing  to  be  made  by  waiting," 
said  my  companion,  after  we  had  discussed 
every  phase  of  the  situation;  "we  can  stand 
them  off  for  several  days  and  nights,  but  the 
end  will  be  the  same. ' ? 

"We  have  got  to  make  a  break  for  liberty, 
and  it  is  best  to  do  it  tonight,  while  we  are  fresh 
and  strong, ' '  I  replied ;  '  '  for  each  night  will  see 
us  weakened  and  less  prepared  to  put  up  a 
fight." 

The  afternoon  was  drawing  to  a  close  and 
darkness  would  soon  be  upon  us.  Peering  over 
the  edge  of  the  bluff,  we  saw  that  most  of  the 
Tobas  had  dismounted  and  were  moving  here 
and  there,  in  a  lolling,  lazy  fashion,  as  if  they 


A  DESPERATE  SCHEME  169 

felt  that  the  situation  had  taken  the  form  of  a 
merely  waiting  game. 

One  thought  must  have  occurred  to  the 
reader.  We  had  two  dynamite  cartridges  in 
our  possession.  'Why  not  clear  the  way  by  ex- 
ploding one  of  them  among  the  wretches,  and 
then,  in  the  confusion,  make  a  dash  from  the 
foot  of  the  buttef 

That  was  the  only  plan  that  seemed  possible, 
and  we  decided  not  only  to  resort  to  it,  but  to 
do  so  within  the  next  hour  or  two,  while  the 
night  was  still  young.  We  even  hoped  we  might 
secure  a  horse  apiece  during  the  hurly  burly 
and  leave  our  enemies  well  behind  before  they 
could  attempt  effective  pursuit. 

But  no  mistake  must  be  made  at  the  begin- 
ning when  a  slip  would  spoil  everything. 

"To  drop  the  shell  among  them  from  where 
we  are  now,"  said  my  companion,  "would  do 
its  work,  but  it  would  take  so  much  time  for  us 
to  descend  that  they  would  rally  and  be  ready 
for  us." 

"True;  therefore  we  must  steal  downward 
to,  say,  two  thirds  of  the  way  to  the  bottom, 
throw  the  cartridge,  and  the  moment  it  ex- 
plodes, hasten  to  the  base  and  then  '  Hurrah  for 
Harry  and  St.  George ! '  " 

It  was  not  yet  fully  dark,  and  we  were  sitting 


170  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

on  the  ground  occasionally  peeping  over  the 
edge  to  make  sure  no  march  was  stolen  upon  us, 
when  both  heard  a  peculiar  thud  directly  behind 
us.  Turning  we  saw  one  of  the  Toba  arrows 
with  its  head  buried  several  inches  in  the 
ground  and  the  other  end  pointing  upward. 

" Where  did  that  come  from?"  I  asked  in 
astonishment. 

" Where  could  it  come  from?"  added  Higgen- 
bottom  by  way  of  reply;  " there  is  but  one 
source — well,  I'll  be  hanged!" 

A  second  missile  dived  into  the  ground  still 
closer,  both  of  us  involuntarily  starting,  as  we 
saw  how  narrowly  it  missed  us. 

I  hitched  to  the  edge  of  the  butte  and  looked 
over.  Perhaps  a  hundred  yards  from  the  foot 
stood  a  single  Toba  warrior,  long  bow  in  hand 
and  deliberately  launching  his  arrows  at  us. 
Since  it  was  impossible  to  aim  directly  at  his 
target,  he  sent  the  arrows  high  up  in  the  air, 
where  they  curved  over  and  dropped  upon  the 
top  of  the  butte. 

The  native,  knowing  we  were  there,  was  try- 
ing to  reach  us  by  this  roundabout  course,  and, 
as  I  have  shown,  had  come  mighty  near  suc- 
ceeding. 

At  the  moment  I  solved  the  puzzle,  he  let  fly 
with  a  third  arrow,  which  we  plainly  saw  as  it 


A  DESPERATE  SCHEME  171 

climbed  the  air,  far  above  our  heads  and  at  a 
considerable  distance  away.  Then,  as  it 
ceased  ascending,  it  seemed  to  poise  for  a  mo- 
ment at  the  height,  as  if  seeking  us  out,  when 
it  dived  for  us. 

And,  by  heavens,  it  dived  so  truly  that  if  I 
had  not  been  quick  to  roll  to  one  side,  it  would 
have  buried  its  head  in  my  back  instead  of  in 
the  earth. 

"I  think  it  is  time  we  had  a  little  of  that 
fun,"  muttered  the  New  Englander,  thrusting 
the  muzzle  of  his  Winchester  over  the  margin 
of  the  butte  and  carefully  aiming  at  the  mis- 
creant, who  evidently  believed  he  had  all  the 
sport  to  himself. 

He  was  in  the  act  of  letting  fly  with  a  fourth 
missile,  when  my  companion  fired,  hitting  the 
fellow  so  fairly  that  when  he  leaped  in  air  with 
a  wild  cry  and  fell  to  the  ground,  he  did  not  get 
up  again. 

"What's  more,"  grimly  added  my  friend,  "I 
didn't  have  to  shoot  over  your  head  to  wing 
you.  Now,  if  any  other  of  your  friends  want  to 
try  that  trick  he  will  never  have  a  better 
chance. ' ' 

But  if  any  of  them  held  such  an  intention,  it 
was  postponed.  We  waited  several  minutes, 
and,  observing  nothing  of  the  kind,  I  reached 


172  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

out  and  drew  from  the  ground  the  arrow  which 
I  had  dodged  by  so  narrow  a  chance. 

The  head  was  composed  of  some  kind  of  flint 
or  hard  stone,  diamond  shaped  and  ground  to  a 
point  of  astonishing  keenness.  It  suggested  a 
stiletto  which  a  slight  pressure  would  force 
deep  into  one's  flesh. 

That,  however,  which  most  interested  me, 
was  the  appearance  of  the  flint  itself.  It  was 
perhaps  two  inches  in  length,  and  from  the  ex- 
treme point  half  of  its  surface  was  covered  with 
a  yellowish  substance  resembling  mucilage. 
Although  hard  while  exposed  to  the  air,  no 
doubt  it  would  readily  dissolve  when  subjected 
to  moisture. 

We  were  horrified,  for  there  could  be  no 
doubt  what  this  appearance  meant.  That  gelat- 
inous substance  was  the  deadliest  poison  con- 
ceivable. Let  but  the  tiniest  particle  pass  un- 
der the  skin  and  the  victim  would  die  as  quickly 
as  had  poor  Armetia. 

"And  that  isn't  the  end  of  this,"  said  Hig- 
genbottom;  "they  will  be  afraid  to  try  it  while 
we  can  see  them,  but  when  it  is  fully  dark,  a 
half  dozen  will  begin  their  devilish  bombard- 
ment and  keep  it  up  until  the  top  of  this  butte 
resembles  the  back  of  some  huge  porcupine. ' ' 


A  DESPERATE  SCHEME  173 

"Therefore,  when  that  takes  place  we  must 
be  out  of  range." 

"  Which  can  be  done  only  by  leaving  this 
place. " 

Such  being  our  resolve,  we  impatiently 
awaited  the  moment  for  making  the  crucial  test 
upon  which  the  question  of  life  and  death  de- 
pended. 

Twilight  in  the  tropical  regions  is  always 
brief.  While  we  were  talking  in  low  tones  and 
peeping  over  the  edge  of  the  butte,  we  saw  that 
the  night  had  fully  come.  Again  the  deeply 
blue  vault  was  studded  with  its  myriads  of 
stars,  which  seemed  to  gleam  with  a  cold,  pity- 
ing splendor  upon  us,  and  the  horses  and  war- 
riors at  the  base  of  the  bluff  faded  and  melted 
in  the  gloom,  until  not  a  glimpse  of  any  of 
them  could  be  obtained. 

In  the  intense  stillness,  we  plainly  heard  the 
neighing  now  and  then  of  a  pony,  the  soft  beat 
of  his  hoofs,  as  he  changed  his  position,  and 
occasionally  the  odd,  guttural  words  of  the 
Tobas,  as  they  spoke  to  one  another  in  conver- 
sational tones.  Once  the  rattling  of  gravel 
made  us  think  some  of  them  were  about  to  re- 
peat the  mad  attempt  to  climb  the  slope. 

We  thrust  our  heads  and  shoulders  over  the 
lip  of  the  butte,  each  grasping  his  revolver  and 


174  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

waiting  for  the  miscreants  to  show  themselves ; 
but,  as  the  moments  passed  without  bringing 
them  to  view  and  without  our  hearing  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  streaming  dirt  and  gravel,  it  was 
clear  that  the  Tobas  were  too  wise  to  repeat  an 
attempt  that  was  sure  to  result  disastrously  to 
them. 

"Do  you  imagine,"  I  asked,  "that  they  will 
dream  of  any  such  scheme  as  we  have  in 
mind?" 

"It  must  be  all  guesswork,  but  on  general 
principles,  I  should  say  that  if  they  do  look  for 
anything  of  the  kind,  they  will  not  expect  it 
until  the  night  is  pretty  well  along. ' ' 

"Now,  then,  is  the  time  to  risk  it,"  replied 
my  companion,  who  was  as  impatient  as  I  to 
act. 

What  we  had  specially  to  guard  against  was 
of  betraying  ourselves  by  starting  the  dirt  and 
gravel  under  our  feet.  The  utmost  care  was 
necessary.  We  should  have  preferred  to  wait 
until  we  were  almost  at  the  bottom,  but  to  do 
so,  would  place  us  in  danger  from  our  own 
action.  The  furious  force  of  the  exploding 
shell  might  injure  or  kill  us  as  well  as  the 
Tobas. 

It  was  understood,  as  has  been  intimated, 
that  we  meant  to  pick  our  way  until  within 


A  DESPERATE  SCHEME  175 

some  thirty  feet  of  the  base,  and  then  launch 
the  cartridge,  following  it  with  a  dash  for  free- 
dom. 

My  companion  took  the  lead,  passing  softly 
over  the  side  of  the  butte,  Winchester  in  hand 
and  moving  with  all  the  caution  possible.  As 
soon  as  the  way  was  cleared,  I  followed. 

There  being  no  moon,  we  did  not  fear  discov- 
ery until  the  distance  was  greatly  lessened,  but 
it  need  not  be  said  that  never  were  our  eyes  and 
ears  called  upon  for  more  delicate  and  intense 
service. 

The  result  at  first  was  discouraging.  The 
debris  started  in  a  stream,  and  we  stopped,  half 
disposed  to  retreat,  but  the  fall  was  quickly 
checked,  and  we  could  hear  nothing  from  the 
gloom  below  to  indicate  that  our  purpose  was 
suspected.  Indeed,  why  should  the  Tobas  look 
for  anything  of  the  kind  after  our  desperate 
effort  to  place  ourselves  beyond  their  reach? 

Steadying  himself  by  pressing  his  hand 
against  the  bluff  behind  him,  and  stepping 
downward  with  the  most  extreme  care,  Higgen- 
bottom  continued  the  descent,  foot  by  foot,  until 
he  paused  and  turning  round,  whispered : 

"We  are  over  half  way  to  the  bottom." 

"Yes;  there's  no  doubt  of  it,  and  I  can  catch 
a  glimpse  of  some  of  them." 


176  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

"All  right;  here  we  go!" 

Balancing  himself  with  skill,  he  carefully 
drew  out  the  single  shell  remaining  with  him 
and  holding  it  suspended  in  his  hand,  peered 
downward  and  listened. 


CHAPTEE  XVIII 

A  DASH  FOR  FREEDOM 

THE  stillness  was  so  profound  that  we 
feared  the  Tobas  had  penetrated  our 
purpose.  One  of  them  said  something, 
to  which  his  companion  replied  in  the  guttural 
fashion  we  had  already  noticed.  A  single 
horse  took  a  few  steps,  his  hoof  beats  reaching 
our  ears  with  startling  distinctness.  Then 
again  all  was  still. 

My  companion  was  standing  erect  and  I  was 
in  the  same  position  and  within  arm's  reach. 
The  background  of  the  bluff  helped  to  screen  us, 
and  it  would  seem  that  even  the  sharp  eyed 
Tobas  could  not  make  out  our  forms  in  the 
gloom,  for  only  the  faintest  shadows  showed 
where  they  were  grouped. 

In  the  dim  stargleam,  I  saw  Higgenbottom 
draw  back  his  hand  and  the  next  moment  he 
made  a  quick  flirt  forward,  and  the  cartridge 
shell  was  visible  for  an  instant,  as  it  sped  out- 
ward and  then  vanished  in  the  gloom.  It 
seemed  a  long  while  in  the  tense  condition  of 

12  177 


178  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

our  nerves  that  we  stood  braced  and  waiting 
for  it  to  strike  and  explode. 

I  heard  it,  plainly  as  it  struck  the  ground  with 
a  thump,  and  then  I  held  my  breath.  But  no 
explosion  followed ! 

For  a  few  seconds  we  were  dazed.  We  had 
counted  on  nothing  of  this  nature,  but  from 
some  cause,  impossible  to  understand,  the  shell 
failed  to  do  its  duty.  How  the  terrible  explo- 
sive could  stand  such  a  jar  and  remain  intact 
was  a  mystery,  but  that  it  had  done  so  was  be- 
yond question.  The  chemical,  so  potent  for 
terrible  work,  is  sometimes  erratic  in  its  action, 
exploding  seemingly  without  reason,  and  refus- 
ing to  do  so  when  no  cause  is  apparent, 

"Well,  I'll  be  hanged!"  muttered  the  dis- 
gusted and  dismayed  New  Englander,  in  a  dan- 
gerously loud  voice;  "Who  would  have  thought 
it?" 

The  only  shell  left  was  in  my  possession  and 
I  drew  it  from  my  coat  pocket. 

"It's  do  or  die!"  I  whispered;  "here  goes!" 
and  I  tossed  the  thing  over  my  comrade's  head 
and  out  toward  where  I  knew  the  Tobas  were 
grouped. 

There  was  no  failure  this  time. 

The  next  instant  it  was  as  if  a  volcano  had 
burst  upward  through  the  solid  ground.  The 


A  DASH  FOR  FREEDOM  179 

atmosphere  was  one  vivid  blinding  glare,  and 
for  a  moment  I  believed  both  of  us  had  been 
mortally  hurt. 

But  amid  the  horrible  confusion  and  tumult, 
Higgenbottom  called: 

* '  Quick !    Now  ?s  our  chance ! ' ' 

I  had  been  shocked  more  than  he,  and  was 
severely  bruised  by  some  of  the  debris  hurled 
in  every  direction.  Shading  my  eyes  with  one 
hand,  I  strove  with  desperate  might  to  recall 
my  senses  and  to  clear  my  vision. 

I  remember  hearing  the  awful  shrieks  of  the 
savages,  many  of  whom  must  have  been  blown 
to  fragments,  and  then,  as  with  a  superhuman 
effort,  I  partially  regained  my  self  control  and 
saw  that  my  comrade  was  missing.  He  had 
rushed  down  the  slope,  counting  upon  my  fol- 
lowing, while  I  was  standing  idle. 

Fearful  that  my  delay  was  fatal,  I  leaped  al- 
most the  entire  distance,  but  striking  the  slop- 
ing path  near  the  base,  carried  bushels  of  gravel 
and  dirt  with  me,  as  I  stumbled,  rolled,  slid  and 
scrambled  to  the  bottom,  where,  fortunately  I 
landed  on  my  feet. 

There  was  no  time  to  halt  or  try  to  get  my 
bearings.  It  was  impossible  to  retreat  and  the 
moment  I  found  myself  on  the  plain  again  I 
started  on  a  dead  run,  straight  out  from  the 


180  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

butte,  with  no  attempt  to  note  the  direction. 
My  one  purpose  was  to  get  as  far  away  as  I 
could  in  the  quickest  time  possible,  and  I  did 
so. 

I  was  still  running  when  a  frightened  neigh 
sounded  at  my  side,  and  I  perceived  a  pony 
galloping  in  the  same  direction  with  me.  Act- 
ing wholly  under  impulse,  I  reached  out  and 
grasped  the  flying  halter,  and  with  one  des- 
perate bound,  vaulted  upon  his  back. 

The  horse,  like  all  the  quadrupeds  and  bipeds 
of  the  vicinity,  was  in  a  wild  panic  and  showed 
for  the  time  no  consciousness  that  he  was  car- 
rying a  rider.  I  hammered  my  heels  against 
his  ribs,  and  with  another  neigh  of  terror,  he 
broke  into  a  gallop  directly  out  into  the  dark- 
ness and  across  the  pampa. 

It  was  at  this  instant  that  I  thought  of  Hig- 
genbottom,  wondering  what  had  become  of  him, 
and  whether  he  could  possibly  have  met  with 
such  good  fortune.  It  would  not  do  to  desert 
him,  and  yet  in  what  way  could  I  aid  him? 

Tugging  at  the  halter,  I  gradually  checked 
the  speed  of  my  horse  and  managed  to  bring 
his  head  around  so  as  to  face  the  butte,  which 
rose  like  a  castle  against  the  starlit  sky. 
Shouts,  cries,  shrieks  and  groans  still  filled  the 
air  and  the  sounds  of  many  hoof  beats  showed 


A  DASH  FOR  FREEDOM  181 

how  complete  a  panic  had  taken  possession  of 
the  whole  party. 

Suddenly  a  horseman  loomed  to  view  in  the 
darkness  and  was  headed  straight  toward  me. 
I  was  thrilled  at  the  thought  that  my  friend 
after  all  had  met  with  the  same  astonishing 
good  fortune  that  was  mine. 

"Come  on,  old  fellow!7'  I  called;  "things 
have  turned  out  better  than  we  dared  to  hope. ' ' 

Without  waiting  for  him  to  reach  my  side,  I 
turned  the  nose  of  my  pony  away  and  again 
banging  his  ribs,  sent  him  flying  off  in  a  gallop, 
but  partly  held  him  in  until  my  companion  could 
join  me. 

"Was  there  ever  such  good  luck?"  I 
chuckled;  "we  have  a  horse  apiece,  and  no 
doubt  they  are  among  the  best  of  the  party. 
How  do  you  feel,  Higgenbottom?" 

Eeceiving  no  response,  I  looked  sharply 
around  at  the  horseman  who  was  almost  up  to 
me.  As  I  did  so,  I  saw  his  arm  raised  above 
his  head,  with  a  long,  formidable  spear  grasped, 
which  he  was  in  the  act  of  launching  with  deadly 
aim. 

It  was  not  Higgenbottom,  but  a  Toba  warrior 
whom  I  had  mistaken  for  him ! 

With  a  gasp  of  affright,  I  ducked  my  head 
and  plunged  over  the  shoulder  of  my  pony  with 


182  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

a  quickness  which  no  equestrian  ever  surpassed. 
A  second  later  would  have  been  fatal,  for,  as  I 
landed,  I  heard  the  whizz  of  the  infernal  missile, 
as  it  whisked  past  and  struck  the  ground  sev- 
eral yards  beyond. 

The  Indian  must  have  been  sure  he  had  im- 
paled me,  for  he,  too,  leaped  down,  and,  aban- 
doning his  animal,  darted  forward  to  finish  me 
if  haply  I  were  still  alive. 

He  found  me  very  much  alive,  for  holding  my 
Winchester  and  halter  with  my  left  hand,  I 
stooped  under  the  neck  of  my  steed  and  let  fly 
with  two  chambers  of  my  revolver  a,s  quickly  as 
I  could  aim  and  pull  trigger.  With  little  more 
than  two  paces  separating  us,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  add  further  particulars. 

Neither  of  the  ponies  was  accustomed  to  fire- 
arms. The  one  belonging  to  the  fallen  Toba 
bounded  away  in  a  wild  panic,  and  my  animal 
tugged  so  hard  at  his  halter  that  I  was  in  dan- 
ger of  being  carried  off  my  feet.  But  I  man- 
aged to  hold  on  and  keep  upright,  and  as  soon 
as  I  was  near  enough  I  took  a  flying  leap  that 
placed  me  on  his  back  again  and  made  me  mas- 
ter for  the  time  of  the  situation. 

It  was  some  minutes  before  I  could  fully 
regain  control  of  the  animal,  for  naturally  he 
was  greatly  shaken  by  what  he  had  passed 


A  DASH  FOR  FREEDOM  183 

through  and  often  started  and  shied  without 
cause.  Finally,  when  he  became  tractable,  I 
brought  him  to  a  standstill. 

My  situation  was  most  peculiar.  There  I 
was  in  the  middle  of  the  plain,  astride  of  a 
strange  horse,  wholly  ignorant  of  what  had  be- 
come of  my  friend  and  without  the  slightest 
knowledge  of  which  way  to  turn.  The  only 
compass  of  the  exploring  party  was  with  the 
New  Englander,  and  where  was  he? 

While  my  heart  glowed  with  gratitude  over 
the  extraordinary  manner  in  which  I  had  eluded 
the  vengeance  of  the  Tobas,  I  was  distressed  be- 
yond measure  about  my  friend.  It  was  impos- 
sible to  deny  that  the  chances  were  that  he  had 
lost  his  life,  for  it  was  not  to  be  expected  that 
such  a  run  of  luck  as  mine  could  have  come  to 
him,  and  it  has  been  shown  how  narrow  was  my 
escape  from  the  mounted  savage,  even  after  I 
had  secured  possession  of  a  horse. 

I  started  to  capture  the  second  pony,  whose 
owner  had  fallen  before  my  revolver,  having  a 
vague  idea  that  he  might  be  made  to  serve  my 
friend,  but  the  prospect  was  too  remote,  and 
anyhow,  the  animal  dashed  off  in  the  gloom  be- 
fore I  could  make  any  serious  effort  to  secure 
him. 

The  all  important  problem  with  me  was  in 


184  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

what  way  I  could  help  Higgenbottom,  if  he  was 
really  in  a  condition  to  be  helped.  Since  we 
started  out  on  our  eventful  attempt  to  explore 
the  Pilcomayo,  we  had  not  been  separated  until 
now,  and  having  never  considered  such  a  possi- 
bility, had  not  arranged  any  code  of  signals  by 
which  to  communicate  in  the  presence  of  danger. 

I  might  whistle  or  shout,  with  the  likelihood 
that  the  reply  which  appeared  to  come  from 
him  would  really  be  emitted  by  one  of  the  To- 
bas,  who  would  thus  be  provided  with  the  means 
for  my  undoing. 

In  sore  perplexity,  I  dismounted,  and  firmly 
holding  the  bridle  of  the  pony,  knelt  down  and 
pressed  my  ear  to  the  ground.  Such  I  knew 
was  the  custom  of  the  American  Indians,  and 
somehow  or  other  I  fancied  it  might  help  me. 

The  readiness  with  which  sound  travels 
through  the  earth  when  it  cannot  be  heard  in 
the  air  is  startling.  The  moment  my  ear 
touched  the  ground,  I  instantly  raised  my  head 
and  glanced  around,  certain  that  several  horse- 
men were  within  sight,  but  nothing  of  the  kind 
appeared,  and  after  waiting  a  few  minutes,  I 
knelt  down  and  pressed  my  ear  once  more 
against  the  better  conductor. 

The  same  sounds  were  heard,  but  were  so 
perceptibly  fainter  that  it  was  evident  the 


A  DASH  FOR  FREEDOM  185 

horsemen  were  traveling  in  another  direction. 
Still  I  listened,  until  in  a  brief  while,  nothing 
could  be  distinguished.  This,  while  interesting, 
was  valueless.  Much  as  the  reflection  pained 
me,  it  was  idle  to  hope  I  could  be  of  any  help 
to  my  friend  before  the  morrow,  and  only  then 
through  some  lucky  turn  of  events. 

"Now,  if  Miggenbottom  were  in  my  posi- 
tion," I  thought,  "he  would  put  forth  every  ef- 
fort to  push  ahead,  and  that  is  the  best  thing 
for  me  to  do  in  the  circumstances." 

But  the  difficulty  to  which  I  have  referred 
confronted  me.  I  had  no  idea  of  the  right 
course  to  take,  and  was  without  means  of  learn- 
ing it  until  the  rising  sun  should  come  to  my 
help ;  but  it  was  intolerable  to  remain  motion- 
less, and  I  set  to  work  to  formulate  a  reasonable 
theory  as  to  the  right  course  to  be  pursued. 

Eecalling  the  point  where  I  had  last  seen  the 
butte,  and  remembering  that  the  path  by  which 
we  had  climbed  it  was  on  the  south  side,  it 
seemed  I  could  not  be  far  wrong  when  I  fixed 
upon  a  course  leading  to  the  southeast.  In 
truth,  there  was  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  I 
started  right,  but  the  task  was  to  keep  to  a 
course. 

The  method  of  doing  this  was  simple.  I  fixed 
the  location  of  the  Southern  Cross ;  then  noted 


186  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

the  lowest  star's  location  as  compared  with 
another,  whose  name  I  did  not  know,  and  found 
that  by  following  a  course  directly  between  the 
two  my  route  would  be  substantially  to  the 
southeast. 

This  was  the  theory  by  which  I  was  guided 
during  the  hours  of  the  night  that  remained, 
and  throughout  which  I  pressed  fciy  pony  with 
little  mercy  or  consideration. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

ALONE  ON  THE  PAMPA 

A  LTHOUGH  I  had  nothing  in  the  nature 
^\  of  a  saddle,  my  horse  was  one  of  the 
easiest  riding  animals  I  ever  bestrode. 
He  had  a  peculiar,  racking  gait,  which  he 
seemed  to  prefer  to  a  walk,  trot  or  canter,  and, 
since  it  was  quite  rapid,  I  neither  urged  nor 
checked  him,  quite  satisfied  that  he  should  hold 
his  favorite  pace. 

Confident  that  I  had  started  in  the  right  di- 
rection, I  did  not  forget  to  consult  my  compass, 
as  formed  by  the  two  stars  I  have  named.  It 
was  a  curious  fact  that  my  pony  showed  the 
same  tendency  to  which  I  have  already  referred 
several  times — that  of  bearing  to  the  left.  This 
was  easily  checked,  and  he  proved  more  tracta- 
ble under  the  simple  halter  than  would  be  sup- 
posed. 

The  even,  sweeping  progress  must  have  lasted 
for  nearly  two  hours,  when  he  dropped  so  ab- 
ruptly to  a  walk  that  I  came  within  a  hair  of 
sliding  over  his  head.  At  the  same  time,  he 

187 


188  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

pricked  his  ears  and  snuffed,  sure  evidence  that 
he  had  detected  something  out  of  the  usual 
order. 

My  Winchester  was  resting  across  the  back 
of  the  animal  just  above  my  thighs,  and  I 
grasped  the  weapon  more  firmly,  ready  to  aim 
and  fire  on  the  instant  it  became  necessary. 

If  my  horse  had  been  frightened,  he  would 
have  stopped  altogether  or  shied  to  one  side, 
but  he  did  neither.  He  walked  forward,  with 
neck  outstretched,  gently  snuffing  the  air,  as  if 
it  was  the  sense  of  smell  upon  which  he  was  de- 
pending instead  of  sight. 

A  few  minutes  later,  it  looked  as  if  there  were 
a  million  stars  gleaming  on  the  pampa  in  front 
of  me.  The  cause  was  plain:  we  had  again 
reached  a  body  of  water,  which  reflected  the 
myriad  orbs  of  night. 

How  deep  or  wide  it  was  could  not  be  guessed, 
but  I  believed  it  was  shallow,  since  that  pecul- 
iarity marks  all  the  water  found  in  El  Gran 
Chaco.  I  looked  up  at  the  sky  and  saw  that,  as 
I  viewed  it,  we  were  following  the  true  course 
and  consequently  it  was  necessary  that  we 
should  cross  the  stream. 

I  might  have  hesitated,  had  the  pony  shown 
any  timidity,  but  with  a  gentle  snuffing  and  a 
still  slower  step,  he  advanced  into  the  water  and 


ALONE  ON  THE  PAMPA  189 

kept  on.  I  gently  urged  him,  for,  if  the  sheet 
was  to  be  crossed,  there  was  no  call  to  be  tardy 
about  it.  He  increased  his  pace,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  we  were  out  of  sight  of  both  shores. 

The  depth  slightly  grew,  until  the  water  rose 
to  his  knees,  though  I  knew  from  his  action  and 
the  sound  of  his  hoofs,  that  he  sunk  at  each  step 
into  several  inches  of  mud.  At  this  moment, 
the  pony  stopped,  stretched  his  head  downward, 
and  began  drinking. 

"A  good  example, "  I  said  to  myself,  and, 
learing  over,  scooped  up  some  of  the  element 
in  the  hollow  of  my  hand  and  drank  it. 

It  was  as  warm  as  dishwater,  and  no  doubt 
was  roiled.  I  felt  little  thirst,  and,  after  a  few 
mouthfuls  was  satisfied.  The  animal  drank  his 
fill,  and  then  resumed  his  splashing  advance, 
emerging  soon  after  on  the  other  side. 

I  judged  the  sheet  was  a  half  mile  in  width, 
and  it  resembled  the  body  of  water. which  we 
had  crossed  the  day  before. 

The  instant  we  struck  hard  earth  again,  the 
pony  resumed  his  peculiar,  racking  gait,  and  a 
glance  at  my  starry  guide  showed  that  he  was 
following  the  right  course. 

"Ah,  if  I  only  had  Higgenbottom  with  me," 
I  sadly  repeated  a  score  of  times;  "he  would 
make  no  mistake  with  his  compass,  and  he  car- 


190  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

ries  a  binocular  that  I  shall  need  tomorrow. 
Cool,  brave  and  resourceful,  I  should  be  much 
safer  with  him  than  alone.  God  protect  him, 
for  something  tells  me  it  has  not  been  as  well 
with  him  as  with  me. ' ' 

I  struck  a  match  and  glanced  at  my  watch. 
To  my  astonishment,  it  was  far  beyond  mid- 
night. I  had  been  longer  on  the  road  than  I 
supposed,  for  it  will  be  remembered  that  our 
start  was  made  early  in  the  evening. 

The  easy,  soothing  pace  of  the  pony  produced 
the  inevitable  effect.  I  had  not  slept  since  the 
preceding  forenoon,  the  stirring  incidents  in 
which  I  was  involved  having  driven  all  such  dis- 
position from  me ;  but  the  strain  was  lifted,  and 
something  in  the  nature  of  a  reaction  followed. 
I  found  my  senses  wandering,  and  like  many  a 
man  in  a  similar  situation,  I  dropped  into  un- 
consciousness, though  I  doubt  whether  I  ever 
would  have  believed  it,  except  for  my  startling 
awakening. 

I  suppose  it  was  the  same  instinctive  action 
that  keeps  one  from  falling  out  of  bed  that  pre- 
vented me  from  slipping  off  my  animal  during 
the  period  (how  long  or  short  I  cannot  guess), 
that  I  was  borne  forward  in  a  sound  sleep.  But 
while  in  that  delightful  situation,  I  suddenly 
shot  over  the  head  of  the  pony,  landing  so 


ALONE  ON  THE  PAMPA  191 

squarely  on  my  forehead  that  the  wonder  is  my 
neck  was  not  broken. 

As  it  was,  every  bone,  nerve  and  muscle  in 
my  body  was  shaken,  and  for  a  moment  I  was 
sure  I  was  dangerously  hurt. 

The  horse,  while  swinging  along,  paused  as 
abruptly  as  if  he  had  struck  a  stone  wall,  and, 
unable  to  offer  the  slightest  resistance,  I  kept  on 
until  checked  by  the  solid  ground. 

The  animal  was  terrified  by  the  unexpected 
appearance  of  a  dreaded  danger  directly  in 
front  of  him.  I  heard  the  warning  growl  of  a 
wild  beast,  which  served  to  bring  back  .my  wan- 
dering senses  on  the  instant,  and  leaping  to  my 
feet,  Winchester  in  hand,  I  faced  the  new  peril. 

An  animal  larger  than  an  enormous  mastiff, 
was  crouching  on  the  ground,  growling  and  lash- 
ing its  tail,  its  catlike  eyes  glowing  with  a  phos- 
phorescent light,  as  it  crept  slowly  forward,  all 
the  time  gathering  its  muscles  for  a  spring  at 
me. 

I  believed  it  was  a  puma  or  cougar  that  had 
appeared  so  abruptly  in  our  path,  and,  leveling 
my  rifle  at  the  compact  catlike  head,  I  started  to 
pump  half  a  dozen  bullets  or  less  into  its  brain. 

But  I  didn't  pump  one.  With  a  cold  shiver, 
I  found  that  the  weapon  had  been  so  injured  by 
being  hurled  over  the  head  of  my  horse  that  it 


192  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

was  useless.  The  lock  would  not  work,  and  my 
Winchester  was  simply  a  club,  of  no  more  use 
than  an  ordinary  tree  branch. 

Hardly  was  the  discovery  made,  when  the 
puma  leaped.  At  the  moment  of  doing  so,  he 
emitted  a  grating  snarl,  and  then  his  body  rose 
in  a  graceful  but  terrible  curve  which  would 
have  landed  him  on  my  head  and  chest,  had  I  not 
whisked  to  one  side  just  in  time  to  elude  him. 

Instead  of  attempting  to  use  my  Winchester 
as  a  club,  I  flung  it  aside  and  drew  one  of  my 
revolvers.  When  the  brute  missed,  he  snarled 
again,  and  whirling  with  lightning-like  swift- 
ness, made  a  second  leap  directly  at  me.  While 
in  the  act  of  doing  so,  and  with  the  muzzle  of  my 
Smith  &  Wesson  almost  touching  his  nose,  I  dis- 
charged the  whole  five  chambers  in  instant  suc- 
cession. 

Ordinarily  so  small  a  weapon  would  have  pro- 
duced little  effect  against  a  formidable  brute, 
but  a  revolver  can  do  a  good  deal  of  execution, 
when  it  has  the  opportunity  my  weapon  had. 

I  doubt  whether  a  whole  platoon  of  musketry 
would  have  been  more  destructive  than  that 
bombardment  of  the  cougar  with  my  revolver. 
At  the  moment  I  fired,  he  was  in  the  act  of  leap- 
ing and  did  leap,  but,  instead  of  projecting  him- 
self against  me,  he  bounded  directly  up  in  the 


ALONE  ON  THE  PAMPA  193 

air,  and  falling  on  his  head  and  shoulders,  rolled 
over,  furiously  clawing  the  dirt,  and  dying  in  a 
moment  in  front  of  me,  as  I  sprang  backward 
to  escape  his  claws. 

"It  isn't  often  a  South  American  puma  is 
slain  by  the  revolver  of  a  gentleman,"  I  said, 
"but  it  looks  very  much,  my  fine  fellow,  as  if 
you  are  a  victim." 

But  where  all  this  time  was  my  pony?  I 
looked  around,  but  he  was  nowhere  in  sight. 
Hardly  had  he  sent  me  flying  over  his  head, 
when  in  an  ecstasy  of  terror,  he  whirled  to  one 
side  and  dashed  off  at  headlong  speed.  Doubt- 
less he  was  still  running  and  would  keep  it  up 
for  miles. 

As  proof  of  his  panic,  when  I  knelt  down  and 
applied  my  ear  to  the  ground,  I  could  not  hear 
the  slightest  sound  of  his  flying  hoofs.  He  was 
gone  beyond  recovery. 

"There  is  one  consolation,"  I  reflected,  try- 
ing hard  to  take  a  philosophical  view  of  my 
dilemma,  "he  carried  me  a  goodly  distance 
toward  home. ' ' 

Aye,  provided  he  had  really  done  so,  I  added 
the  next  moment,  shuddering  at  the  probability 
that  in  the  face  of  all  my  care,  he  had  veered  to 
one  side,  and,  for  aught  I  knew,  had  been  bear- 
is 


194  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

ing  me  back  to  the  butte,  where  he  had  left  most 
of  his  companions. 

But  the  question  could  not  be  answered  until 
the  sun  appeared,  and,  pulling  myself  together, 
I  slung  my  broken  Winchester  over  my  shoul- 
der, and  struck  off  at  a  rapid  pace,  resolved  not 
to  throw  away  an  hour's  time. 

By  and  by,  when  I  lit  another  match  and 
looked  at  my  watch,  I  found  that  the  night  was 
almost  gone.  Before  long,  some  portion  of  the 
horizon  must  begin  to  show  the  growing  light  of 
the  rising  sun.  As  if  the  foolish  artifice  could 
help,  I  kept  my  gaze  fixed  on  the  gloom  directly 
in  advance,  determined  that  the  sun  should  make 
its  first  appearance  there. 

And  by  gracious,  it  did ! 

With  a  thrill  of  hope  and  gratitude  that  can- 
not be  described,  I  saw  the  first  streakings  a 
little  to  the  left  of  the  course  I  was  following. 
This  was  proof  that  I  was  still  pursuing,  as  I 
had  from  the  first,  a  due  southeastern  course. 
Had  Higgenbottom  been  with  me,  guiding  every 
rod  of  our  progress  by  his  compass,  it  could 
scarcely  have  been  done  more  accurately. 

' '  Hurrah ! "  I  shouted,  snatching  off  my  som- 
brero and  waving  it  above  my  head,  forgetting 
for  the  moment  my  useless  Winchester,  the  fact 
that  I  was  afoot  and  alone  on  the  pampa,  with 


ALONE  ON  THE  PAMPA  195 

slight  prospect  of  ever  seeing  my  friend  again, 
and  with  equally  slight  hope  of  making  my  way 
out  of  the  accursed  country. 

As  the  sun  came  up  and  its  glorious  light  il- 
lumined the  endless,  grassy  prairie,  I  anxiously 
swept  every  visible  portion,  hopeful  and  yet 
fearful  of  what  should  meet  my  vision. 

My  situation  was  like  that  of  the  mariner 
adrift  on  a  spar  in  mid  ocean,  who  scans  the 
heaving  waters  in  vain  for  a  sight  of  the 
friendly  sail.  North,  south,  east  and  west,  in 
every  direction,  stretched  the  green  motionless 
sea,  with  not  a  sign  of  butte,  or  living  creature 
or  wild  animal  to  break  the  monotony. 

Amid  this  very  loneliness  of  desolation,  I  was 
borne  up  by  the  consciousness  that  the  result  of 
it  all  had  been  to  carry  me  forward  on  my  home- 
ward journey.  I  must  be  well  within  the  prov- 
ince of  Paraguay,  not  far  from  the  Tropic  of 
Capricorn,  and  within  a  comparatively  short 
distance  of  the  river,  which  once  reached,  would 
bear  me  to  Concepcion,  my  destination,  where 
all  dangers,  so  far  as  the  Tobas  were  concerned, 
would  be  at  an  end. 

So  I  took  heart  and  strode  off  with  a  vigor- 
ous step,  continually  sweeping  every  portion 
of  the  visible  pampa  with  my  clear  vision ;  and, 
as  might  have  been  supposed,  I  had  not  pro- 


196  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

gressed  for  an  hour,  when  once  more  I  was 
brought  to  an  abrupt  standstill  by  the  unmis- 
takable appearance  of  danger  in  the  very  form 
I  most  dreaded  to  see. 


CHAPTER  XX 

AT  LAST 

AS  IN  the  previous  instance,  it  was  a  party 
of  horsemen,  who,  when  first  seen,  re- 
sembled a  number  of  faintly  moving 
specks  in  the  distance,  but,  instead  of  appearing 
directly  in  front,  they  were  somewhat  to  the 
north. 

But  there  could  be  no  mistaking  their  iden- 
tity, and  that  fact  was  enough,  or  rather  more 
than  enough,  for  me.  I  did  not  wait  for  a 
closer  scrutiny,  but  lay  flat  on  the  ground,  sur- 
rounded by  the  grass  which  was  six  inches  or 
more  in  height. 

It  was  good  reasoning  on  my  part  that,  if  I 
could  not  see  objects  the  height  of  a  man  at  a 
distance  of  a  hundred  yards,  those  horsemen 
were  unable  to  discern  me.  Moreover,  a  man 
on  foot  is  so  much  less  conspicuous  than  one  on 
a  horse  that  I  was  certain  even  the  keen  eyes  of 
the  Tobas  had  failed  to  detect  me. 

The  question  was  then  as  to  whether  they 
would  come  near  enough  to  render  discovery 

197 


198  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

probable.  Every  now  and  then  I  raised  my 
head  far  enough  to  look  across  the  intervening 
plain  and  study  the  dreaded  marauders. 

Several  times  my  heart  was  in  my  mouth,  for 
they  seemed  to  be  heading  directly  toward  me, 
but,  with  a  feeling  of  unspeakable  relief,  I  soon 
realized  that  they  were  traveling  to  the  west- 
ward, and  unless  an  abrupt  change  took  place 
in  their  course,  there  was  no  danger  of  my  being 
seen. 

Believed  of  the  great  fear,  I  made  a  careful 
examination  of  my  injured  Winchester.  It 
took  but  a  few  minutes  to  find  that  the  lock  was 
so  broken  that  it  was  altogether  beyond  my 
power  to  repair  it. 

The  weapon's  usefulness  was  at  an  end,  and 
it  would  be  simply  burdening  myself  to  carry  it 
with  me. 

I  still  had  my  revolvers,  which  were  in  ex- 
cellent condition,  and  a  goodly  supply  of  cart- 
ridges. 

"As  nearly  as  I  can  figure  out,"  I  said  to  my- 
self, "it  will  take  two  or  three  days  to  reach 
Paraguay,  and  the  danger  from  the  Tobas 
ought  to  diminish  as  I  travel  eastward.  Every 
mile  will  have  to  be  made  on  foot  and  I  must 
carry  with  me  only  such  things  as  are  indis- 


AT  LAST  199 

pensable.  Consequently,  my  Winchester  re- 
mains here." 

And  it  did.  Bather  curiously,  through  all 
the  tumult  and  exciting  occurrences  of  the  pre- 
vious night,  I  had  retained  a  couple  of  the  beef 
strips  with  which  Higgenbottom  and  I  provided 
ourselves  after  the  first  explosion  of  the  dyna- 
mite cartridges.  The  meat  had  become  quite 
dry,  and  one  of  the  strips  afforded  me  a  sub- 
stantial meal  that  was  by  no  means  unpalatable. 

When  I  had  disposed  of  it  I  was  refreshed 
and  strengthened.  I  decided  that  that  should 
answer  for  the  day,  and  on  the  following  morn- 
ing I  would  eat  the  remaining  quantity.  This 
would  exhaust  my  food  supply,  but  it  would  be 
a  strange  thing  for  an  able  bodied  man,  armed 
with  two  Smith  &  Wesson's  to  starve  to  death 
in  a  tropical  country. 

The  reader  need  not  be  reminded  of  the  plen- 
itude of  vegetable  as  well  as  animal  life.  In- 
deed, the  school  geographies  refer  to  most  of 
South  America  as  a  vast  conservatory  with  the 
roof  removed. 

When  at  last  the  horsemen  flickered  from 
view  in  the  far  away  western  horizon,  I  rose  to 
my  feet  and  resumed  my  long  journey  to  the 
southeast.  The  same  apparently  endless  sea 
of  grass  stretched  away  on  every  hand,  and 


gOO  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

about  noon  I  made  out  the  form  of  a  butte,  sim- 
ilar to  the  one  already  described,  so  far  to  the 
northwest  that  the  atmosphere  imparted  to  it  a 
soft  bluish  tint,  which  mellowed  its  rough  out- 
lines and  made  it  an  object  of  beauty. 

So  far  as  I  could  judge,  I  had  no  use  for  it, 
and  I  did  not  change  my  course,  but  gradually 
placed  it  on  my  left  and  finally  it  sank  from 
sight,  like  a  low  lying  cloud  in  the  sky. 

The  next  object  that  interested  me  was  an 
unmistakable  grove  of  timber,  so  nearly  in  my 
front  that  I  made  straight  for  it.  I  was  grow- 
ing wearied  and  was  in  need  of  sleep.  Some- 
thing in  the  appearance  of  the  patch  of  woods 
suggested  cool  shadows  and  rest;  but  any  one 
who  has  been  placed  in  a  situation  resembling 
mine  knows  how  deceptive  distance  is  on  the 
prairie. 

The  rock  or  stream  which  appears  to  be 
within  half  a  mile,  is  probably  three  or  four 
miles  away,  and,  although  I  roused  myself  into 
taking  long  and  vigorous  strides,  it  seemed  for 
a  long  time  impossible  to  lessen  the  interval  be- 
tween myself  and  the  wood,  and  I  feared  I 
should  not  be  able  to  reach  it  before  nightfall. 

But  the  sun  was  still  in  the  sky,  when,  pretty 
well  worn  out,  I  moved  in  among  the  trees  and 
undergrowth,  stepping  carefully  and  peering 


AT  LAST  201 

around,  for  I  could  not  forget  that  I  was  in  the 
land  of  the  jaguar,  the  leopard,  the  cougar, 
the  black  bear,  the  ant  bear,  and  of  the  viper,  the 
scorpion,  the  boa  constrictor,  the  vampire  bat 
and  endless  noxious  insects,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  Tobas,  more  to  be  feared  than  all  of  them. 

A  strange  silence  pervaded  the  grove  which 
was  several  acres  in  extent.  The  undergrowth 
was  not  dense,  though  it  appeared  everywhere, 
and  the  tall  trees  were  joined  by  loops  of  vines, 
whose  beginning  and  end  it  was  hard  to  find. 
Here  and  there  a  bird  of  gorgeous  plumage 
was  perched  among  the  topmost  branches,  ap- 
parently dozing,  though  noon  had  long  since 
passed.  Several,  disturbed  by  my  appearance, 
uttered  discordant  cries  and  fluttered  to  more 
distant  branches,  from  which  they  curiously 
watched  me  as  I  moved  along. 

But  neither  serpent,  wild  animal  nor  wild 
man  was  to  be  seen  on  the  ground.  I  carefully 
picked  my  way  across  the  grove  to  the  further 
side  and  then  came  back  to  the  center  without 
discovering  the  slightest  thing  to  cause  un- 
easiness. 

The  most  interesting  and  gratifying  find  was 
made  at  this  point.  In  the  very  middle  of  the 
grove  grew  three  trees  of  moderate  height, 
with  delicate  green  leaves,  resembling  that  of 


202  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

our  own  beech  and  with  a  considerable  spread 
of  limb. 

Here  and  there,  among  these  pretty  leaves 
was  seen  a  bright  green  fruit,  suggesting  a 
species  of  apple,  but  more  elongated  in  shape. 
Some  of  the  larger  specimens  had  taken  on  a 
yellowish  tint,  which  showed  they  were  ripe. 

I  had  heard  of  the  algaroba  or  carob  tree,  but 
this  was  the  first  time  I  had  seen  it.  When 
plucked  and  eaten,  the  fruit  was  found  pleasant, 
though  the  flavor  was  different  from  any  fruit 
of  our  own  country.  Its  most  marked  peculiar- 
ity is  its  juiciness,  which  is  so  great  that  one  or 
two  of  the  fruits  when  slowly  eaten  by  a  fever- 
ish person  will  wholly  satisfy  his  thirst. 

The  carob  tree  is  more  common  in  the  Argen- 
tine Eepublic  than  elsewhere,  and  the  well 
known  drink,  laaga,  of  which  the  natives  are 
very  fond,  is  made  from  it. 

"Now,"  I  said  to  myself,  "since  I  have  come 
thus  unexpectedly  upon  a  fresh  supply  of  food, 
I  should  be  very  foolish  not  to  turn  it  to  the  best 
possible  account." 

Whereupon  I  fell  to  and  gorged  myself  with 
the  delicious  fruit,  of  which  I  intended  to  carry 
away  a  goodly  supply,  since  I  was  not  likely  to 
find  any  more  on  my  long  journey  to  the  Par- 
aguay. 


AT  LAST  203 

The  present  cause  for  discomfort  was  as  to 
how  the  coming  night  should  be  spent.  The 
mildness  of  the  weather  was  such  that  it  was  no 
hardship  to  lie  on  the  ground  until  morning 
without  any  blanket  or  extra  covering;  but, 
though  I  had  failed  to  observe  any  proof  of 
animal  or  reptile  life,  it  nevertheless  was  about 
me  and  would  be  sure  speedily  to  manifest 
itself. 

The  evident  thing  to  do  was  to  kindle  a  fire, 
which  would  be  so  screened  by  the  surrounding 
vegetation  as  to  be  invisible  on  all  sides  be- 
yond the  edge  of  the  grove,  but  the  fire,  to  be 
effective  in  holding  danger  at  a  distance,  must 
be  kept  going,  and  I  was  so  tired  from  my  long 
tramp  that  I  was  sure  soon  to  sink  into  slumber. 

The  only  really  safe  course  was  to  perch 
among  the  branches,  where  I  should  be  beyond 
reach  of  any  prowling  wild  animals  or  venom- 
ous serpents;  but  the  hammocks  with  which 
Higgenbottom  had  provided  himself  at  Sucre, 
and  which  afforded  so  much  enjoyment  to  the 
monkeys  during  our  first  night  on  shore,  were 
gone,  and,  since  no  other  recourse  was  open,  I 
began  gathering  limbs  and  branches,  collecting 
a  goodly  supply  before  darkness  settled  upon 
the  scene.  Then,  from  my  match  safe,  which 
fortunately  was  only  half  empty,  I  kindled  a 


204:  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

fire  which  soon  sent  its  yellow  reflection  against 
the  exuberant  vegetation  overhead  and  among 
the  trees  around  me. 

When  night  was  fully  come  the  scene  was  pic- 
turesque and  striking.  For  greater  safety,  I 
started  two  fires  and  placed  myself  between 
them,  where  the  warmth  was  uncomfortable  un- 
til I  allowed  them  to  die  down  somewhat. 

Looking  aloft,  I  saw  a  dozen  or  more  birds 
attentively  watching  me,  some  small,  some  large, 
some  with  sober  jackets  and  others  of  brilliant 
plumage,  perched  here,  there  and  everywhere, 
one  so  near  that  I  could  have  knocked  it  over 
with  a  short  stick,  while  the  largest  and  there- 
fore the  biggest  coward  was  so  far  up  among 
the  branches  that  I  could  make  out  only  a  por- 
tion of  its  figure.  It  suggested  the  American 
snow  owl,  but  it  need  not  be  said  it  was  no  rela- 
tive of  that  well  known  bird. 

"  I  wish  I  could  be  sure  you  were  the  only 
ones  that  would  feel  any  interest  in  me,"  I 
muttered,  as  I  assumed  an  easy  position  on  the 
ground  and  glanced  from  one  to  the  other,  "but 
there  are  quadrupeds — well,  I'll  be  hanged!" 
I  exclaimed,  involuntarily  quoting  Higgenbot- 
tom's  favorite  exclamation,  as  I  drew  one  of 
my  pistols  and  leaped  to  my  feet. 

By  the  merest  accident,  I  had  looked  off  to 


AT  LAST  205 

the  right  among  the  trees  and  undergrowth, 
when  I  caught  sight  of  two  round,  glaring  balls 
of  light,  which,  there  could  be  no  doubt,  were 
the  eyes  of  some  wild  animal,  probably  a 
jaguar,  or  tiger,  or  leopard  who  also  possessed 
an  inquiring  mind. 

His  position  was  so  far  back  among  the  shad- 
ows that  nothing  could  be  seen  of  his  head  or 
body,  but  the  height  of  the  glowing  orbs  from 
the  ground  indicated  that  he  was  an  animal  of 
extraordinary  size,  and  one  against  which  my 
revolvers  would  not  be  very  effective  except  in 
circumstances  as  favorable  as  the  night  before. 

But  the  most  daring  wild  beast  is  afraid  of 
fire,  and  so  long  as  I  kept  the  two  going  and 
did  not  wander  away  from  them,  I  was  as  safe 
as  within  the  stone  walls  of  a  castle. 

My  action  in  springing  to  my  feet  startled  the 
brute,  which  instantly  recoiled,  and  the  flaming 
eyeballs  vanished;  but  he  was  stealthily  watch- 
ing me  from  some  near  by  point  in  the  gloom 
of  the  wood. 

Hoping  to  frighten  him,  I  leveled  my  pistol 
at  the  spot  where  the  glowing  eyes  were  seen 
a  moment  before,  and  let  fly  with  two  chambers. 
The  bullets  zipped  among  the  leaves  and  under- 
growth, but  probably  missed  the  crouching  ani- 
mal bv  a  dozen  feet. 


206  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Meaning  to  be  caught  at  no  disadvantage,  I 
recharged  the  two  empty  chambers,  and  then 
took  two  or  three  short,  slow  steps  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  jaguar,  as  I  had  decided  the  animal 
was.  Such  a  course  will  sometimes  scare  the 
bravest  brute,  since  it  implies  a  courage  and 
intention  on  the  part  of  a  man  which  is  far  from 
being  the  truth,  but,  in  the  present  instance,  it 
was  I  who  was  startled  almost  out  of  my  senses. 

The  shock  was  caused  by  a  warning  growl 
directly  behind  me,  and  turning  like  a  flash,  I 
saw  the  jaguar  no  more  than  ten  feet  distant, 
apparently  debating  whether  to  venture  nearer 
or  to  make  his  leap  from  where  he  stood.  In 
obedience  to  an  impulse,  I  instantly  fired  three 
bullets  at  him,  every  one  of  which  landed.  In- 
stead of  making  his  charge,  he  whirled  about 
and  whisked  off  in  the  gloom. 

After  this  experience,  nothing  could  have 
made  me  believe  that  any  sleep  would  come  to 
me,  though  I  was  in  sore  need  of  it,  I  con- 
gratulated myself  that  I  had  collected  so  much 
fuel  that  it  would  last  until  daylight,  if  eco- 
nomically used. 

Accordingly,  I  sat  down  on  the  ground  be- 
tween the  fires,  revolver  in  hand,  prepared  to 
mount  guard  until  the  morrow.  I  expected 
each  minute  the  reappearance  of  the  brute,  but 


AT  LAST  207 

an  hour  pased  without  the  first  evidence  of  its 
being  in  the  neighborhood.  Gradually  my 
strained  position  relaxed,  the  rifle  slipped 
slowly  off  my  knees  and  then,  strange  as  it  may 
seem,  I  dropped  asleep. 


CHAPTEE  XXI 

A  STARTLING  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE 

YOU  will  admit  that  I  had  passed  through 
more  than  one  stirring  adventure  in  the 
wild  country  to  which  I  was  led  by  a 
strange  concurrence  of  circumstances,  but 
among  all  the  awakenings,  there  was  none  that 
in  the  way  of  cold,  helpless,  paralyzing  terror 
could  compare  with  that  which  came  to  me, 
after  sinking  to  sleep  in  the  grove,  where  all  the 
many  dangers  had  passed  me  by,  else  I  should 
never  have  sunk  into  such  unconsciousness. 

The  gray  light  of  early  morning  was  stealing 
through  the  timber  when,  much  refreshed  and 
strengthened,  I  opened  my  eyes  and  looked 
around  me.  Both  fires  had  died  out  and  no 
prowling  wild  animal  was  in  sight.  I  rose  to 
my  feet,  intending  to  resume  my  hopeful  tramp 
toward  the  rising  sun,  or  to  be  exact,  a  little 
to  the  south  of  it. 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  I  made  an  alarm- 
ing discovery ;  both  of  my  revolvers  were  gone ! 

"That's  the  queerest  thing  I  ever  heard  of," 

208 


A  STARTLING  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE   209 

I  said,  completely  mystified;  "I  might  have  dis- 
placed one  in  moving  about  in  my  sleep,  but 

how  the  mischief  could  I  lose  both " 

An  icy  shiver  ran  down  my  spine,  for  just 
then  I  heard  a  singular,  chuckling  sound  that 
suggested  a  wild  animal  trying  to  laugh.  I 
turned  like  a  flash,  instinctively  suspecting  the 
nature  of  the  new  peril.  From  behind  the  trees 
in  the  grove  and  from  every  point  of  the  com- 
pass came  a  party  of  hideous  looking  Tobas. 
There  were  thirteen  of  them — unlucky  number 
— as  I  afterward  ascertained.  All  were  naked 
except  for  the  breechclouts,  their  heads  were 
covered  with  enormous  masses  of  bushy  wool, 
their  bodies  from  the  waist  up  to  the  roots  of 
the  hair,  including  the  bare  legs,  were  covered 
with  daubs,  splashes,  circles  and  spots  of  yel- 
low, red,  black  and  blue  pigments  that  added, 
if  the  thing  be  admitted  as  possible,  to  the  hor- 
rible appearance  of  the  savages,  who  rank 
among  the  most  merciless  members  of  human 
kind.  Their  only  weapons  were  spears,  such 
as  have  been  referred  to  already.  Each  was 
about  the  length  of  one  of  their  bodies  and  was 
sharp-pointed,  the  tips  of  some,  if  not  all, 
smeared  with  one  of  the  most  venomous  poisons 
known.  Their  skill  in  throwing  these  frightful 
implements  is  almost  incredible. 

14 


210  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

The  sight  of  the  fierce  warriors  brought  the 
whole  truth  to  me  on  the  instant  They  had 
come  upon  me  while  asleep,  probably  guided  by 
the  smoke  of  my  camp  fire,  despite  my  confi- 
dence that  it  would  not  betray  me.  Nothing 
would  have  been  easier  than  to  slay  me  like  a 
serpent,  as  I  lay  unconscious  on  the  ground,  but 
they  preferred  a  ten-fold  sweeter  enjoyment: 
they  would  make  me  prisoner  and  have  their 
own  exquisite  sport. 

So  deep  was  my  slumber  that  one  of  their 
number  had  removed  my  only  weapons  without 
awakening  me.  This,  as  well  as  my  discovery, 
had  probably  taken  place  within  the  hour  pre- 
ceding the  return  of  my  senses.  They  chose 
not  to  disturb  me,  though  had  they  come  upon 
me  earlier  it  is  not  probable  they  would  have 
been  so  patient. 

I  was  as  helpless  as  a  creeping  babe.  To 
offer  anything  in  the  nature  of  resistance  would 
have  precipitated  my  doom,  which  through  some 
whim  they  had  chosen  to  defer  for  the  time. 
While  there  is  life  there  is  hope,  and  I  lost  no 
time  in  imitating  the  submissive  lamb. 

"I  surrender;  I  am  your  prisoner;  do  what 
you  please  with  me." 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  these  savages, 
with  their  snapping  black  eyes,  and  grinning, 


A  STARTLING  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE      211 

wide  mouths,  which  displayed  their  fang-like 
teeth,  had  the  remotest  conception  of  the  mean- 
ing of  the  words,  but  my  manner  must  have  told 
them  I  acknowledged  the  situation  and  placed 
myself  at  their  disposal.  * 

"It  am  de  bestest  ting  yo*  Jcin  do!" 

A  bolt  of  lightning  from  the  blue  would  not 
have  thrilled  me  more  than  the  utterance  of 
these  words  by  one  of  their  number.  The  de- 
scription which  I  have  given  of  the  Tobas  In- 
dians shows  that  they  resemble  the  Africans 
fully  as  much  as  the  aborigines.  Their  skin  is 
swarthy  and  dark  rather  than  coppery;  their 
features  are  heavy,  they  are  thick-lipped,  and, 
if  they  cut  their  hair  short,  it  would  be  like  that 
of  the  negro.  Naturally  I  glanced  toward  the 
one  who  had  addressed  me  and  I  was  amazed 
again.  The  peculiarities  described  were  so 
marked  in  his  case  that  I  was  sure  on  the  in- 
stant that  he  was  not  a  Toba,  but  a  genuine 
African.  But  what  was  he  doing  among  these 
people? 

He  read  the  meaning  of  my  wondering  looks 
and  said: 

"Yas;  Pm  a  cullud  gemman  all  de  way  from 
Alerbama,  but  I  hab  libed  among  dese  folks  for 
a  good  many  yeahs;  dunno  wheder  I'll  be  able 
to  do  nuffin  for  yo'  but  I  reckons  dere  aint  any 


212  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

chance;  it's  best  dat  I  act  toward  yo'  like  dey 
do;  if  I  see  any  show  for  yo'  I'll  do  what  I 
kin,  but  if  yo'  gits  away  from  dem,  yo'll  be  de 
fust  white  man  dat  doned  it;  dey '11  watch  us 
bofe  close  and  yo'  mustn't  act  as  if  yo'  'xpected 
me  to  be  yo'  friend." 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  effect  of  these 
words.  It  was  not  what  the  African  said,  but 
rather  his  manner  of  saying  it.  It  was  mani- 
fest he  must  understand  the  tongue  of  the 
Tobas,  who  on  their  part  did  not  comprehend 
a  word  of  English.  When  necessary,  therefore, 
he  would  act  the  part  of  interpreter.  It  was 
manifest  further  that  his  long  residence  had 
made  him  one  of  the  savages — at  least  his  cap- 
tors believed  him  to  be  such,  and  it  might  prove 
he  was  as  diabolical  as  they. 

One  thing,  however,  was  certain:  he  was  un- 
usually intelligent  and  quick-witted  for  one  of 
his  race.  The  words  which  he  uttered  were 
certainly  friendly,  but,  instead  of  grinning  and 
looking  like  a  friend,  he  scowled  and  shook  his 
head,  as  if  his  hatred  of  my  race  was  as  impla- 
cable as  that  of  the  wild  men  around  him.  I 
would  have  been  a  dolt,  had  I  not  caught  on 
instantly  and  helped  in  carrying  out  the  decep- 
tion. I  pressed  my  hands  in  front  of  me,  as- 


A  STARTLING  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE      213 

sumed  an  appealing  expression,  and  said  with 
the  manner  of  one  begging  for  mercy : 

"I  understand;  I'll  follow  your  advice;  I'll 
act  as  if  I  don't  expect  anything  more  from  you 
than  from  them,  and  heaven  knows  that's 
mighty  little,  but  can  you  not  give  me  some  idea 
of  what  is  likely  to  be  done  with  me  ? " 

Before  he  could  reply,  the  leader  of  the  Tobas, 
a  thin,  cadaverous  savage,  fully  six  feet  in 
height,  and  somewhat  stoop-shouldered,  said 
something  to  him.  He  listened  with  every  ap- 
pearance of  deference  and  then  spoke  to  me: 

"My  name  am  Gas  a;  de  debbil  dat  hab  jes' 
spoke  to  me  am  de  head  chief  and  his  name  am 
Zip-wip-na ;  he  am  a  debbil  suah,  but  I  dassent 
tole  him  so;  he  wants  me  to  ax  yo'  who  yo' 
am." 

"My  name  is  Jared  Wintermyer,  and  as  you 
can  see  I'm  an  American." 

This  reply  being  duly  translated  to  the  scowl- 
ing chief,  Gasca  continued : 

"Dat  doan'  tole  him  much;  he  wants  to  know 
what  yo'  doin'  in  his  kentry." 

"Shall  I  tell  him  the  truth?" 

"Dat's  what  my  mudder  always  tole  me  and 
when  I  didn't  and  she  found  it  out,  she  lammed 
de  eberlasting  stuffin'  out  ob  me." 

It  is  hard  to  picture  an  African  making  this 


214  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

remark,  with  the  appearance  and  manner  of  a 
man  savagely  cursing  you,  but  Casca  did  it  to 
perfection,  and,  despite  the  horrible  situation 
in  which  I  stood,  it  was  hard  for  me  to  repress 
a  smile.  I  said: 

"Tell  your  good  and  mighty  chief  that  I 
joined  an  American  who  wished  to  make  the 
ascent  of  the  Pilcomayo  in  a  small  steamer,  but 
we  failed,  and  are  trying  to  get  out  of  the 
country;  Casca,"  I  abruptly  asked,  "can  you 
tell  me  anything  about  my  friend?" 

"Not  jes'  now;  nebber  mind  'bout  Mm;  yo' 
hab  'nough  to  tend  to  yoself." 

Turning  to  the  chief,  he  carefully  explained 
my  presence  in  that  region. 

"He  wants  to  know  why  yo'  come  into  his 
kentry . 9 ' 

"This  friend  was  hired  by  the  Bolivian  gov- 
ernment to  make  an  exploration  of  the  Pilco- 
mayo to  learn  whether  a  profitable  trade  can  be 
opened  with  the  people  along  its  banks." 

Casca  now  talked  for  several  minutes  with 
"  Zip-wip-na, "  each  speaking  several  times  and 
holding  quite  a  conversation.  Finally  Casca 
turned  to  me  again : 

"I  tole  him  dat  yo'  was  de  biggest  tief  in 
Bolivia  and  so  was  de  oder  white  man;  dat  yo' 
bofe  had  been  in  jail  mos'  ob  yo'  lives,  but 


A  STARTLING  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE      215 

busted  out  agin;  stead  ob  killin'  yo'  de  boss  in 
Bolivia  put  yo'  two  on  a  boat  and  sent  yo'  up 
de  Pilkermyer ;  he  didn't  want  to  shoot  yo'  bofe 
and  he  knowed  dat  de  Tobas  would  take  de  job 
off  his  hands. ' ' 

"Good  gracious,  Casca!  I  didn't  say  any- 
thing like  that;  you  told  me  to  speak  the  truth 
and  there  isn't  a  particle  of  it  in  what  you 
said.'' 

"I  know  dat,  but  I'd  been  a  fool  to  tell  Zip- 
wip-na  dem  words;  understand  yo'  am  to  tell 
me  de  truf  and  whateber  lyin'  dere  am  to  do, — 
why  dat's  b 'longs  to  me.  Yo'  see  I'm  trying 
to  gib  Zip-wip-na  de  idee  dat  yo'  hates  de  Bo- 
livians and  all  white  trash  and  would  like  to 
find  a  place  where  yo'  can  lib  and  neber  see 
any  ob  'em  again. ' ' 

Bear  in  mind  these  remarkable  words  were 
spoken  with  every  appearance  of  intense  anger 
against  me.  It  was  evident  that  Casca  was 
"solid"  at  the  Tobas  court,  and  it  was  all  im- 
portant for  his  own  safety  that  he  warded  aside 
every  suspicion  against  himself.  He  had 
formulated  a  large,  bold  scheme,  and  it  was 
doubtless  the  only  one  that  gave  even  a  shad- 
owy promise  of  benefiting  me.  I  feared  he  was 
pushing  it  too  rapidly  and  there  was  danger  of 


216  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

defeating  his  own  purpose.  But  it  was  not  for 
me  to  criticise. 

There  were  many  things  I  longed  to  ask 
Casca,  but  it  would  not  do  to  be  impatient  with 
them.  The  presence  of  the  governor  of  my 
own  State  would  not  have  astonished  me  more 
than  the  sight  of  this  genuine  southern  darkey 
among  the  Tobas  of  Paraguay.  Had  he  not 
been  there,  my  life  would  not  have  been  worth  a 
moment's  purchase.  Probably  it  was  not 
worth  that  anyway.  Under  heaven,  everything 
depended  upon  the  African. 

During  this  singular  interview,  I  knew  I  was 
safe  for  a  brief  while  at  least.  It  was  while 
waiting  for  Casca  to  translate  my  words  and 
those  of  the  chief,  that  I  counted  the  warriors 
and  noted  some  of  the  other  points  mentioned. 
At  first,  they  all  fixed  their  black,  penetrating 
eyes  on  me,  as  if  trying  to  read  the  meaning  of 
my  words,  and  then,  before  the  termination  of 
the  conversation,  nearly  every  one  seemed  to 
lose  interest  in  me.  Five  or  six  strolled  off  in 
the  grove,  going  so  far  that  only  a  glimpse  of 
them  was  caught.  The  remainder  began  talk- 
ing to  one  another  in  low  explosive  tones,  that 
made  me  think  of  the  clucking  of  hens.  They 
stood  so  far  back  from  their  leader  that  their 
words  did  not  annoy  him  or  Casca.  Finally, 


A  STARTLING  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE      217 

they  too  lounged  away,  passing  wholly  beyond 
sight. 

At  this  point,  it  is  well  to  give  some  informa,- 
tion  about  Casca,  the  interesting  character  with 
whom  I  came  in  contact  at  the  time  I  was  un- 
fortunate enough  to  fall  a  captive  to  the 
dreaded  Tobas  of  El  Gran  Chaco.  The  knowl- 
edge, it  will  be  understood,  came  to  me  piece 
meal  and  at  different  times,  during  that  memo- 
rable experience  of  mine,  which,  it  is  safe  to  say 
has  befallen  few  of  my  countrymen.  Indeed 
I  know  of  none  who  ever  passed  through  what 
I  did. 

It  was  three  years  previous  to  the  date  of  the 
incidents  I  am  describing,  that  Professor  Carl 
Turner,  the  well  known  German  scientist  and 
explorer,  made  the  unfortunate  attempt,  which 
like  all  that  preceded  and  thus  far  have  fol- 
lowed, resulted  in  irretrievable  disaster.  Pro- 
fessor Turner  was  a  wealthy  man,  who  had 
done  creditable  work  in  other  parts  of  the 
world,  and  was  actuated  by  the  honorable  pur- 
pose of  adding  to  the  geographical  knowledge 
of  mankind.  He  knew  of  the  abortive  attempts 
that  had  been  made  to  explore  the  Pilcomayo, 
but  he  had  been  so  successful  in  Africa  and 
Australia,  where  others  had  failed,  that  he  was 
full  of  hope  and  in  high  spirits,  when  he  left 


218  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Buenos  Ayres,  accompanied  by  three  Germans, 
two  Englishmen  and  the  African  Casca,  who 
was  engaged  as  cook.  Casca  was  addicted  to 
wandering,  and  had  left  his  native  State  in  a 
similar  capacity  on  a  trading  ship,  but  deserted 
at  Buenos  Ayres,  because  of  ill  treatment  by 
his  captain.  He  had  only  a  vague  idea  of  the 
dangers  that  were  inevitable  in  such  an  enter- 
prise as  that  of  Professor  Turner.  I  have  in- 
timated, however,  that  the  African  was  unus- 
ally  intelligent  for  one  of  his  race,  and,  before 
the  small  steamer  left  Asuncion,  on  the  voyage 
up  the  Pilcomayo,  he  had  learned  a  good  deal 
of  that  which,  had  he  known  at  Buenos  Ayres 
would  have  prevented  his  making  the  venture ; 
but  he  could  not  well  withdraw,  and  showed 
none  of  the  misgivings  that  possessed  him. 

Most  of  the  information  gathered  by  this  re- 
markable fellow  came  to  him  during  the  few 
days  spent  in  Asuncion,  while  the  expedition 
was  making  ready.  He  fixed  upon  a  policy 
which  was  admirable  in  its  cunning,  and  which 
beyond  a  doubt  saved  his  life.  He  decided  to 
make  himself  as  much  like  a  Toba  Indian  as 
was  possible.  His  blood  favored  him,  for  he 
was  not  very  dark,  and  was  gifted  with  an  ex- 
ceptionally bushy  head  of  hair.  Under  the  plea 
that  the  weather  was  oppressive — though  such 


A  STARTLING  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE   219 

was  not  really  the  fact — he  gradually  shed  his 
superfluous  clothing  until  he  was  barefooted 
and  wore  only  a  breechcloth.  Some  of  his  com- 
panions objected  to  this  scanty  attire,  but  Pro- 
fessor Turner,  who  was  a  good  natured  man, 
smiled  and  allowed  him  to  do  as  he  pleased. 
Thus,  at  a  small  distance,  he  might  have  well 
been  mistaken  for  one  of  the  people  whom  he 
held  in  supreme  fear. 

The  little  steamer  closely  resembled  that 
used  and  abandoned  by  Higgenbottom.  Pro- 
fessor Turner  relied  upon  winning  the  good  will 
of  the  natives,  and  carried  numerous  presents, 
such  as  stir  the  envy  of  barbarians.  He  was 
not  foolish  enough  to  neglect  firearms  and  am- 
munition, but  he  intended  to  appeal  to  them 
only  as  a  last  resort. 

The  usual  sequel  followed.  All  his  good  will 
and  kindness  were  thrown  away.  He  and  his 
crew  were  overwhelmed  by  the  Tobas  and  every 
white  man  slain.  The  attack  was  at  night. 
Casca  had  foreseen  what  was  coming,  and  be- 
fore the  furious  assault  was  made,  he  deserted 
the  party,  with  whom  he  could  not  have  been 
of  the  slightest  help,  and  boldly  strode,  into  the 
Toba  camp,  where  fully  a  hundred  warriors, 
under  the  lead  of  the  famous  chieftain  Zip- 
wip-na,  were  making  ready  for  the  massacre. 


220  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

He  made  it  known  by  signs  that  he  had  run 
away  from  the  white  men  whom  he  hated  and 
wished  to  help  destroy.  He  carried  a  pistol 
and  did  take  part  in  the  attack,  for  the  savages, 
after  much  consultation  and  hesitation  among 
themselves,  accepted  him  conditionally  as  a  re- 
cruit. He  fired  his  weapon  many  times,  but 
there  is  not  the  least  reason  for  doubting  his 
declaration  that  he  took  pains  not  to  injure  any 
of  those  for  whom  his  heart  bled.  He  even  de- 
clared that  in  the  turmoil,  he  managed  to  wing 
one  of  the  particularly  obnoxious  Tobas,  and, 
had  he  dared,  he  would  have  dropped  Zip- 
wip-na  himself  in  his  tracks. 

Casca  accompanied  the  Tobas  to  their  village, 
and  after  some  months  of  distrust,  was  allowed 
to  become  a  member  of  the  tribe.  He  intended 
from  the  first  to  seize  the  first  opportunity  to 
escape,  but  he  knew  a  second  chance  would 
never  come  to  him.  The  shrewd  fellow  under- 
stood the  meaning  of  several  seemingly  good 
openings  which  offered,  and  carefully  refrained 
from  using  them.  He  intended  to  wait  until 
success  was  reasonably  certain  at  least.  This 
explains  how  three  years  had  come  and  gone, 
and  he  was  still  among  the  ferocious  people. 
Having  learned  their  language,  he  made  them 
understand  that  the  white  race  had  enslaved  his 


A  STARTLING  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE      221 

kind — though  of  course  that  had  passed  away 
before  the  birth  of  Casca — and  he  declared  he 
detested  all  whose  faces  were  pale,  and  would 
eagerly  help  exterminate  them. 

When  the  powder  which  he  brought  away 
from  the  captured  steamer  gave  out,  there  was 
no  way  of  getting  more.  So  he  discarded  that 
form  of  weapon,  and  became  as  expert  in  han- 
dling a  spear  as  Zip-wip-na  himself.  In  fact, 
Casca  was  in  reality  a  Toba,  but  he  was  home- 
sick, and  filled  with  a  longing  to  get  away  from 
the  horrible  country  and  people  that  was  cer- 
tain to  take  the  form  of  action,  whenever  he  be- 
lieved the  chances  of  success  were  greater  than 
those  of  failure. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

A  BREAK  FOR  LIBERTY 

I  HAD  noticed  during  my  interview  with  the 
Toba  chieftain  through  Casca  that  the  lat- 
ter had  both  my  revolvers.     The  weapons 
being  unknown,  or  at  least  slightly  understood 
by  the  natives,  they  had  no  use  for  them.     The 
belt  of  cartridges   around  my  waist  had  not 
been  disturbed,  and,  therefore,  I  was  the  only 
one  who  had  any  ammunition. 

The  chief  and  his  interpreter  talked  so  long 
that  I  wondered  what  it  could  be  about.  The 
other  Tobas  had  wandered  away,  so  that  the 
two  persons  were  the  only  ones  whom  I  saw. 
When,  after  a  time,  Casca  turned  to  address  me, 
his  words  were  of  the  most  startling  nature. 
You  must  bear  in  mind  that  in  speaking  to  me, 
no  matter  what  he  said,  his  manner  was  that 
of  a  bitter  enemy.  He  had  won  the  confidence 
of  the  Tobas,  but  it  needed  only  a  slight  mishap 
or  forgetfulness  on  his  part  to  scatter  it  to  the 
winds,  and  his  fate  would  be  as  shocking  as  that 
which  threatened  me. 

222 


A  BREAK  FOR  LIBERTY  223 

' '  The  village  ob  dese  warmints  am  a  long  way 
to  de  norf ;  dey  hab  only  one  boss  apiece  and 
none  fo'  yo';  it  will  take  till  dark  for  dem  to 
git  dar,  wid  dere  bosses  on  a  gallop;  do  yo' 
know  what  ole  Zip-wip-na,  de  bead  wannint, 
means  to  do  ? " 

"I'm  sure  I  haven't  the  slightest  idea," 

' '  He  means  to  make  you  trot  all  de  way,  while 
we  ride  alongside  and  keep  stickin '  de  p  'ints  ob 
our  spears  into  yo ',  when  yo '  got  tired. ' ' 

"Aren't  the  points  poisoned?" 

"Some  ob  'em  is,  but  not  all;  we're  to  use  de 
ones  dat  ain't  p'isoned.  I  tole  him  dat  would 
finish  yo'  up  too  soon;  white  man  can't  stand 
such  tings  like  us  niggers;  I  said,  too,  dat  de 
wimmen  folks  and  little  chillens — bless  'em! — 
orter  not  be  cheated  out  of  de  innercent  enj  'y- 
ment  dey  would  hab  in  helpin'  stickin'  yo'  to 
def  and  dancin'  bout  yo'  while  yo'  am  dyin'; 
I  begged  him  to  remember  his  dooty  to  dem,  but 
he  am  ugly  and  says  he  won't  wait;  de  rest  ob 
'em  feels  de  same  way, — so  it's  settled." 

While  addressing  these  terrifying  words  to 
me,  Casca  came  slowly  forward,  gesticulating 
wildly  with  both  arms.  The  chief  did  not  move 
from  his  first  position. 

"What  earthly  chance  is  there  for  me, 
Casca?"  I  asked  tremblingly. 


224  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

"Hab  yo'  got  yo'  nerve  wid  yo'?"  he  asked, 
still  gesticulating. 

"I'll  do  anything  you  tell  me  to  do." 

"Wai,  den,  de  minute  yo'  kin  make  sartin, 
shoot  him  down  and  dash  for  de  bosses ;  take  de 
black  one  to  de  right, — dat  's  his  and  kin  outrun 
all  de  oders;  lep  on  his  back  and  doan'  stop  his 
runnin'  till  he  drops  dead." 

"But  how  in  the  name  of  heaven  am  I  to 
shoot  him " 

While  talking,  Casca  continued  approaching, 
until  no  more  than  a  single  step  separated  us. 
Then  with  inimitable  quickness  he  whirled 
about,  and,  in  the  act.  of  doing  so,  flung  one  of 
the  revolvers  toward  me  and  I  deftly  caught  it 
in  my  hand.  Eemember,  I  was  not  sitting 
down,  and  both  weapons  were  fully  loaded. 

In  the  same  instant,  the  negro  leveled  his  own 
pistol  at  the  dazed  Zip-wip-na  and  fired.  With 
a  shriek,  the  chief  threw  up  his  arms  and 
sprawled  forward  on  his  face,  absolutely  dead. 

"Bun!  run!  like  de  debbil!"  said  Casca  in  a 
husky  undertone;  "doan'  forgot  de  black  stal- 
lion on  de  right!" 

It  was  a  strange  providence  that  led  the 
other  Tobas  to  saunter  off  toward  the  fringe  of 
the  grove.  They  had  heard  the  decision  of 
their  leader  and  were  impatient  for  the  sport  to 


A  BREAK  FOR  LIBERTY  225 

open.  Thus  for  the  moment  they  were  out  of 
my  way.  I  was  surprised  at  my  own  quickness 
in  "catching  on."  Ducking  my  head  and 
crouching  as  low  as  possible,  I  skurried  through 
the  undergrowth,  making  straight  for  the  point 
that  had  been  indicated  by  my  dusky  friend. 
Not  a  hair's  breadth  did  I  deviate,  and  came 
out  where  the  horses  were  cropping  the  succu- 
lent grass.  They  were  too  well  trained  to  re- 
quire tethering.  None  of  course  was  provided 
with  a  saddle,  and  the  bridle  consisted  of  a 
thong  of  twisted  hide,  looped  around  the  lower 
and  upper  part  of  the  head,  with  the  longer  end 
dangling  over  the  ground.  The  contrivance  re- 
sembled the  ordinary  halter  in  use  in  this  coun- 
try. 

I  came  upon  the  animals  so  quickly  and  qui- 
etly that  I  was  not  noticed  until  among  them. 
The  black  creature  flung  up  his  nose  and  shied, 
but  I  had  seized  the  end  of  the  halter  and  with 
a  single  bound  landed  upon  his  back,  turned  his 
head  away,  banged  my  heels  against  his  satin 
ribs,  struck  him  smartly  with  the  end  of  the 
thong  and  shouted.  On  the  instant,  he 
stretched  out  his  neck,  broke  into  a  dead  run, 
and  sped  with  arrowy  swiftness  across  the 
plain. 

Did  mortal  man  ever  manage  any  affair  with 

15 


226  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

more  marvelous  daring  and  cleverness?  The 
sharp  explosion  of  the  pistol,  the  shriek  of  the 
victim  and  the  shout  of  the  negro  threw  the 
Tobas  into  consternation,  and  all  came  rushing 
headlong  toward  the  couple.  It  was  this  tem- 
porary diversion  that  gave  me  my  single  chance 
for  life.  When  the  savages  reached  the  spot, 
they  saw  their  terrible  chieftain  stretched  on 
his  fa,ce  as  dead  as  dead  could  be,  while  within 
arm's  length,  lay  the  African  rolling,  writhing 
and  groaning  as  if  in  the  agony  of  his  last  few 
moments.  Their  thought  must  have  been  that 
the  single  shot  had  killed  one  and  mortally 
wounded  the  other.  Casca  did  not  retain  his 
revolver,  which  lay  on  the  ground  at  his  feet. 

Meanwhile,  the  colored  fellow,  despite  his  ap- 
parently intense  suffering,  kept  track  of  events. 
He  saw  the  horrified  warriors  looking  down 
upon  him  and  the  body  of  their  chief,  and  then 
they  glared  around  for  me.  Instantly  he  ad- 
dressed them  in  broken  but  vigorous  words  in 
their  own  language: 

"He  shot  your  chief!  He  nearly  killed  me! 
Run !  run !  do  not  let  him  get  away ! ' ' 

To  add  emphasis  to  his  appeal,  he  so  far 
overcome  his  agony  as  to  sit  upright,  and  point 
in  the  direction  I  had  taken.  The  sound  of  gal- 
loping hoofs  showed  that  his  words  were  war- 


A  BREAK  FOR  LIBERTY  227 

ranted  and  the  whole  party  dashed  off  pell  mell. 

The  story  which  Casca  must  have  formulated 
almost  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  was  this : 

Zip-wip-na  having  decided  that  I  should  suf- 
fer the  prolonged  torture  already  referred  to, 
the  negro  approached  me  to  make  known  that 
decision.  With  the  quickness  and  force  of  a 
bolt  of  lightning,  he  said  I  dropped  my  head 
and  struck  him  full  in  the  stomach.  In  the  act 
of  going  over  and  while  partly  stunned,  I 
snatched  both  pistols  from  his  belt,  shot  the 
chief,  before  he  could  comprehend  what  was  go- 
ing on,  flung  the  weapon  at  him,  and,  made  off. 
Casca  staggered  to  his  feet  with  the  intention  of 
joining  in  the  pursuit,  but  he  was  too  weak  and 
had  to  sink  back  to  the  earth  until  he  could  rally. 
Wasn't  he  a  shrewd  rascal? 

I  took  advantage  to  the  utmost  of  the  chance 
so  wonderfully  thrown  in  my  way,  and  events 
rushed  by  with  hurricane  swiftness.  If  the 
Tobas  could  get  nigh  enough  to  reach  me  with 
their  poisoned  spears,  it  would  be  all  over 
quickly,  and  I  have  referred  to  the  accuracy  and 
distance  which  they  could  hurl  the  fearful  im- 
plements. 

When  my  black  stallion  had  thundered  for  a 
hundred  yards  or  so,  I  looked  back.  The  war- 
riors were  swarming  out  of  the  grove  and  hur- 


228  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

riedly  mounting  their  animals.  They  had  been 
exceedingly  prompt  and  were  sure  to  do  their 
utmost,  but  if  my  horse  were  all  that  Casca  had 
said,  I  was  already  beyond  their  reach  and  fast 
drawing  away. 

A  series  of  shouts  and  yells,  which  must  have 
been  the  war  cries  of  the  savages,  split  the 
pulsing  air  and  again  I  glanced  around.  The 
whole  eleven  were  coming  after  me  at  the  high- 
est speed  of  which  their  steeds  were  capable. 
One  was  left  without  a  master,  but  the  man  was 
not  far  off.  When  an  appropriate  interval  had 
passed,  and  Casca  knew  no  one  could  see  him, 
he  did  a  peculiar  but  characteristic  thing.  He 
bounded  to  his  feet,  peered  around  to  make  sure 
he  was  alone,  and  then,  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
inanimate  form,  actually  danced  a  double 
shuffle,  crooning  gleefully  an  old  fashioned 
plantation  melody : 

"  ' Alabama  agin!    Alabama  agin! 
Ef  I  lib  till  de  sun  shines  tomorrer, 
I'll  go  back  to  Alabama  agin!'  " 

Then  he  stooped  and  picked  the  revolver  from 
the  ground.  Examination  showed  that  four  of 
the  chambers  were  loaded,  and  he  carefully 
shoved  it  behind  the  girdle  at  the  top  of  his 
breechclout. 


A  BREAK  FOR  LIBERTY  229 

"Mebbe  dey'll  come  in  handy  some  time  afoah 
many  yeahs. ' ' 

His  next  proceeding  was  to  lift  his  spear. 
He  turned  up  the  sharp  point  and  scrutinized 
it,  even  running  his  stubby  thumb  over  the  keen 
tip. 

"Plenty  ob  p'ison  dere ;  neber  did  like  fightin' 
wid  dat  sort  ob  ting.  Now  if  dat  white  trash, 
dat  calls  hisself  Mr.  Wittemyer  habs  any  sinse 
he  hab  a  good  show,  but  I 's  af eard  he  am  a  deb- 
blishfool." 

With  which  he  sauntered  to  the  margin  of  the 
timber,  mounted  the  remaining  horse  and  strik- 
ing him  into  a  gallop,  followed  after  my  pur- 
suers and  myself.  He  could  not  surpass  the 
speed  of  any  of  the  Tobas,  but  was  able  to  hold 
his  own  in  the  long  race  upon  which  he  en- 
tered. 

Let  me  try  to  make  as  clear  the  situation  into 
which  I  was  thrown  by  the  series  of  incidents 
in  which  I  had  become  involved.  In  making 
my  dash  for  freedom,  the  head  of  my  horse  was 
turned  almost  due  east.  If  this  course  could 
be  maintained  for  something  less  than  two  hun- 
dred miles,  it  would  bring  me  to  the  Paraguay 
river,  one  of  the  most  important  streams  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  continent.  Behind  me,  at 
a  still  greater  distance,  to  the  westward,  flowed 


230  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

the  dreaded  Pilcomayo.  Following  a  generally 
southerly  direction  the  two  joined  at  Asuncion, 
a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  south  of  where  I  was 
speeding  across  the  plain. 

In  other  words,  I  was  still  galloping  over  the 
terrible  Gran  el  Chaco,  striving  to  place  it  be- 
hind me,  but  a  considerable  distance  must  be 
passed  before  I  could  succeed  in  doing  so.  The 
farther  I  went,  the  less  would  my  peril  become. 
But  for  the  taking  off  of  Chief  Zip-wip-na,  it 
is  improbable  that  the  Tobas  would  have  pur- 
sued me  far  to  the  eastward,  but  inspired  by 
revenge,  they  would  not  relax  their  furious  ef- 
forts so  long  as  there  was  the  least  hope  of  lay- 
ing hands  on  me. 

If  you  will  examine  the  geographies  and  en- 
cyclopedias, you  will  get  precious  little  infor- 
mation about  the  region  over  which  I  was  riding 
for  life.  The  maps  show  a  bare  stretch  of  ter- 
ritory which,  except  for  a  few  streams,  is  blank. 
That  is  because  no  one  knows  anything  about 
the  country  which  I  have  proved  is  ' '  forbidden 
land. ' '  The  course  of  the  Eio  Verde  Guaicuru, 
and  other  rivers  is  conjectural.  Strange  it  is 
that  in  the  province  of  Paraguay  lies  this  large 
extent  of  territory  of  which  comparatively 
nothing  is  known,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the 
untamable  Tobas  Indians  have  slain  every  ex- 


A  BREAK  FOR  LIBERTY  231 

plorer  or  baffled  every  attempt  to  penetrate  the 
mysterious  region. 

It  did  not  fall  to  my  lot  to  add  much  to  the 
sum  of  geographical  knowledge  of  El  Chaco 
and  the  terrible  Pilcomayo.  I  was  too  busily 
engaged  with  other  matters  to  pause  to  make 
any  surveys.  There  is  one  fact,  however,  which 
I  can  give  that  is  not  generally  known.  That 
is,  the  mountainous  surface  to  the  east  of  the 
Paraguay  river  extends  partially  into  the 
country  to  the  west  (that  is  the  one  over  which 
I  was  galloping),  although  nothing  of  the  kind 
shows  on  the  maps. 

The  stallion  which  I  bestrode  deserved  all  the 
praise  Casca  had  given  him.  He  was  the  finest 
animal  I  saw  while  in  Paraguay.  His  graceful 
limbs  worked  with  the  smoothness  of  machin- 
ery, and  he  seemed  to  enjoy-the  wonderful  pace 
which  made  the  still  air  rush  by  my  face  like 
a  gale.  He  showed  no  evidence  that  he  was 
aware  of  the  change  of  masters,  or,  if  aware  of 
it,  that  he  cared,  for  he  kept  up  his  terrific  speed 
mile  after  mile,  as  if  it  was  the  most  natural 
and  the  easiest  thing  he  could  do.  I  was  spe- 
cially impressed  with  the  ease  with  which  he 
swept  over  the  level,  grassy  pampas,  and  which 
made  his  pace  seem  less  than  it  really  was. 

Every  now  and  then  I  looked  around.     The 


232  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Toba  horsemen  were  in  sight  but  were  clearly 
losing  ground.  I  could  afford  to  laugh  at  their 
efforts,  but  did  not  do  so,  for  I  was  oppressed 
by  the  certainty  that  I  was  not  yet  "out  of  the 
woods."  It  was  too  much  to  expect  that  these 
favorable  conditions  would  last  until  I  reached 
the  Paraguay,  still  a  long  way  in  front.  I  had 
eaten  nothing  since  the  preceding  night,  but  that 
was  a  small  matter,  and  I  could  fast  without 
inconvenience  until  darkness  came  again.  The 
same  was  to  be  said  as  to  water,  though  I  was 
conscious  of  a  troublesome  thirst.  The  stal- 
lion was  better  provided  than  I  as  respected 
food,  for  the  pasturage  around  him  would  have 
sufficed  to  fatten  many  a  thousand  cattle. 

The  position  of  the  sun  enabled  me  to  hold 
to  the  right  direction.  It  wa,s  near  meridian, 
when  I  looked  back  and  observed  a  new  feature 
in  the  situation,  though  it  did  not  cause  me  any 
concern.  The  Toba  horsemen,  now  barely  vis- 
ible, had  parted  company  and  branched  out  to 
the  north  and  south,  so  as  to  cover  a  stretch  of 
half  a  mile.  I  could  not  imagine  what  they 
hoped  to  accomplish  by  this  change  in  the 
method  of  pursuit,  but  they  were  more  familiar 
with  the  face  of  the  country  than  myself,  and 
must  have  had  some  reason  for  what  they  did. 

Far  away  in  the  eastern  horizon,  a  wavy  blue 


A  BREAK  FOR  LIBERTY  233 

line  was  gradually  coming  into  more  distinct 
view.  For  some  time,  I  took  it  to  be  a  bank 
of  clouds  in  the  otherwise  clear  sky,  but  the 
formation  was  so  unusual  that  I  was  in  doubt. 
Ere  long  its  true  character  dawned  upon  me: 
I  was  drawing  near  a  chain  of  mountains  or 
lofty  hills. 

They  interposed  directly  across  my  line  of 
flight,  stretching  to  the  north  and  south,  many 
miles  beyond  the  farthest  reach  of  my  vision. 
Turning  to  the  left  or  right,  with  a  view  of 
flanking  the  obstruction,  would  compel  me  to 
journey  along  two  sides  of  a  triangle,  while 
most  of  my  pursuers  had  but  the  single  line  to 
traverse.  The  purpose  of  the  Tobas  in  spread- 
ing apart  like  a  fan,  was  now  apparent.  They 
could  readily  head  me  off,  if  I  resorted  to  the 
means  named. 

Manifestly  the  one  and  only  thing  for  me  to 
do  was  to  keep  on  in  the  direct  line  I  had  been 
following  ever  since  my  burst  of  speed  from 
the  grove.  The  shift  of  conditions  was  any- 
thing but  agreeable.  I  was  following  no 
marked  trail,  a  glance  at  the  grassy  plain  as  I 
thundered  over  it,  revealing  nothing  of  the  kind. 
How  wide  the  hills  were  across,  it  was  impossi- 
ble to  form  any  idea,  but  it  was  more  than 
probable  that  when  I  reached  their  base,  I 


234  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

should  find  my  path  blocked.  It  was  unlikely 
that  any  route  would  appear  over  which  my 
stallion  could  force  his  way. 

Should  this  prove  the  case,  it  would  be  neces- 
sary for  me  to  dismount  and  proceed  on  foot, 
leaving  my  steed  to  wander  whither  he  willed. 
After  my  remarkable  escape  thus  far,  I  could 
not  but  feel  hopeful  of  the  ultimate  outcome, 
but  it  was  self  evident  that  the  task  was  not  to 
be  anything  like  the  easy  one  which  seemed  to 
confront  me  a  short  time  before. 

My  stallion  had  been  bounding  forward  at 
such  high  speed,  that  mercy  demanded  a  let-up 
in  the  pace.  Besides,  there  was  danger  of  a 
break-down  ere  long,  unless  something  of  the 
kind  were  done.  I,  therefore,  pulled  strongly 
on  the  halter  and  addressed  a  command  in  civ- 
ilized language  for  him  to  moderate  his  speed. 
He  may  not  have  understood  my  words,  but  he 
did  the  pull  upon  the  halter,  and  came  down  to 
an  easy  gallop,  which  finally  dropped  to  a  walk. 
Foamy  sweat  showed  under  the  legs  and  on  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  body  and  he  was  pretty  well 
pumped,  though  ready  to  answer  on  the  instant 
any  demands  upon  his  splendid  nerve  and 
courage. 

Turning  on  his  back,  I  closely  scanned  the 
horizon  behind  me.  Most  of  the  horsemen  were 


A  BREAK  FOR  LIBERTY  235 

in  plain  sight,  and  between  the  one  farthest 
north  and  him  farthest  south,  was  a  full  mile's 
space.  The  prospect  surely  was  black  enough 
and  it  looked  as  if  the  Tobas  were  confident 
of  "walling  me  in." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE  CUL  DE  SAC 

SINCE  it  was  almost  certain  that  the  use- 
fulness of  my  horse  would  cease  as  soon 
as  we  entered  the  mountain  region,  if  not 
before,  it  was  wisdom  for  me  to  make  the  best 
use  I  could  of  him  while  he  remained  under  my 
command.  Moreover,  if  my  pursuers  could 
maintain  their  spanking  gait,  there  was  no  rea- 
son why  I  should  not  do  the  same.  So  I  jerked 
smartly  at  the  halter,  struck  my  heels  against 
the  stallion's  sides,  and  he  was  off  again  like  a 
bird  on  the  wing. 

Despite  the  dangerous  situation,  a  certain 
monotony  accompanied  the  events  of  the  after- 
noon. My  steed  and  myself  were  hungry  and 
thirsty,  but  we  came  upon  no  water,  and  I  would 
not  allow  him  to  pause  except  for  a  few  minutes, 
now  and  then,  to  crop  the  succulent  grass.  I 
was  determined  that  the  Tobas  bearing  down 
upon  me  and  trying  to  cut  off  my  escape,  should 
not  lessen  the  distance  between  us. 

For  mile  after  mile  the  even,  smooth  surface 

236 


THE  CUL  DE  SAC  237 

continued.  Then  in  the  latter  part  of  the  after- 
noon, when  drawing  near  the  hills,  the  ground 
became  more  undulating  and  the  grass  less 
abundant.  The  sun  was  well  down  the  sky, 
when  the  roughness  of  the  ground  compelled  me 
to  draw  the  stallion  down  to  a  walk,  while  I 
anxiously  peered  into  the  gathering  gloom  to 
learn  the  nature  of  the  region  before  me. 

The  interfering  mountains  were  of  peculiar 
conformation.  The  approach  to  them  was  not 
of  the  usual  gradual  character,  diversified  by 
foothills,  but  one  hour  after  galloping  over  the 
level  pampa  I  was  among  them,  with  my  horse 
forced  to  walk  and  with  the  probability  that 
even  this  method  of  advance  would  soon  be 
checked. 

I  do  not  think  any  phase  of  the  situation  was 
overlooked.  The  darkness  would  make  it  im- 
possible for  the  Tobas  to  see  my  trail.  I  was 
secure  against  that  until  the  dawning  of  the  next 
day.  If  I  should  then  discover  they  were  draw- 
ing too  near,  I  could  leave  the  back  of  my  ani- 
mal, and  ought  to  be  able  to  throw  even  such 
keen-eyed  trailers  off  the  track.  Moreover, 
while  it  was  to  be  expected  that  these  aborigines 
possessed  a  certain  familiarity  with  the  region, 
it  was  not  likely  that  such  knowledge  was  mi- 


238  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

nute,  and  they  would  therefore  have  no  special 
advantage  over  me,  while  among  the  hills. 

Knowing  nothing  of  them,  the  impression 
grew  upon  me  that  they  formed  a  spur,  which 
at  the  most  was  no  more  than  "fifteen  or  twenty 
miles  across.  It  followed  that  if  I  could  find 
a  trail  leading  to  the  other  side,  where  it  was 
to  be  presumed  the  level  plain  again  appeared, 
I  would  regain  the  advantage  that  had  been 
mine  after  the  flight  from  the  grove,  and  ought 
to  be  able  to  hold  it  until  out  of  the  zone  of 
danger. 

Suddenly  the  splash  and  gurgle  of  water 
struck  my  ear.  My  horse  had  noted  it  before 
me,  and,  without  waiting  for  permission, 
pricked  his  ears,  snuffed  the  air  and  broke  into 
a  gallop  which  quickly  took  him  to  where  a  cool, 
clear  stream,  as  thick  as  a  man's  arm,  fell  over 
the  rocks  for  a  distance  of  eight  or  ten  feet, 
when  it  gathered  in  a  pool  and  the  overflow  re- 
sumed, tumbling,  dashing  and  frolicking  its 
course  among  the  stones  and  boulders  till  lost 
to  sight  in  the  darkness. 

I  don't  know  which  was  the  first  to  drink 
from  the  refreshing  fountain.  As  the  stallion 
plunged  his  nose  into  the  water,  I  slipped  off 
his  back  and  did  the  same,  and  each  drank  till 
he  could  hold  no  more.  Perhaps  there  was 


THE  CUL  DE  SAC  239 

some  risk  to  the  animal  in  his  heated  condition, 
but  it  was  no  time  to  think  of  such  things. 
Probably  he  was  accustomed  to  gorging  himself 
in  this  way  and  no  harm  would  follow.  The 
next  minute  I  was  upon  his  warm  back  and 
pulled  his  nose  away  and  started  him  forward, 
for  I  was  beginning  to  feel  nervous  over  those 
shadowy  forms  that  probably  were  closing  in 
on  me. 

A  full  half  hour  was  spent  in  groping  for  a 
natural  path  that  would  allow  the  horse  to  press 
to  the  eastward,  but  at  the  end  of  that  period, 
it  was  demonstrated  that  the  thing  could  not  be 
done.  The  only  way  to  advance  was  on  foot. 

The  moment  was  too  critical  for  sentiment, 
I  dropped  from  the  back  of  the  stallion  and 
patted  his  nose. 

"You  can  never  know,  my  noble  fellow,  how 
much  I  thank  you  for  what  you  have  done.  If 
there  is  a  hereafter  for  such  as  you — and  who 
has  authority  to  say  there  is  not? — you  shall 
have  your  reward.  Good  by ! " 

I  turned  his  head,  so  as  to  face  the  road  we 
had  traversed,  slapped  his  flank,  and  watched 
him  as  he  began  walking  over  the  back  trail. 
Night  had  fully  come,  but  the  sky  had  no  moon 
at  that  hour,  and  only  the  brilliant  stargleam 
showed.  The  splendid  creature  soon  melted  in 


240  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

the  obscurity,  but  for  some  minutes  after  I 
could  hear  the  receding  hoofs,  till  they  died  out 
in  the  distance  and  I  was  left  alone. 

Sooner  or  later,  the  Tobas  must  come  upon 
the  black  stallion,  and,  when  they  did  so,  they 
would  understand  how  it  was.  I  was  in  the 
mountains  on  foot,  and  thenceforward  was 
thus  to  be  hunted  for.  I  had  no  rifle  with  which 
to  defend  myself,  but  a  good  Smith  &  Wesson 
was  mine,  and  I  still  had  a  fair  number  of  car- 
tridges, but  I  was  in  a  wholly  unknown  section, 
where  it  must  seem  to  them  it  would  be  easy  to 
run  me  down. 

It  was  inevitable  that  in  all  my  speculation, 
planning  and  scheming,  Casca  the  African 
should  be  a  conspicuous  factor.  He  had  proved 
in  the  most  striking  manner  his  friendship  for 
me  and  had  faced  risks  that  few  men  would 
have  dared  to  combat.  Having  succeeded  thus 
far  by  one  of  the  most  audacious  strokes  con- 
ceivable, it  was  fair  to  believe  he  would  be  heard 
of  again.  I  did  not  doubt  that  he  had  carried 
through  his  remarkable  drama,  but  the  question 
remained  as  to  how  he  could  give  me  further 
help. 

He  must  be  with  the  Tobas,  acting  his  part 
so  well  as  to  avert  suspicion,  but  if  Jie  found 
me,  they  must  find  me.  How,  when  and  where 


THE  CUL  DE  SAC  241 

he  could  strike  another  blow  in  my  behalf  must 
be  determined  by  himself.  Meanwhile,  the 
thing  for  me  to  do  was  to  push  as  far  to  the 
eastward  as  I  could  before  the  rise  of  the  mor- 
row's sun. 

While  these  thoughts  were  in  my  brain,  I  was 
toiling  forward.  After  being  seated  for  so 
many  hours  on  the  back  of  a  galloping  horse,  it 
was  a  vast  relief  to  use  my  legs  again.  I  should 
have  been  glad  to  walk  all  night,  if  I  could  have 
known  how  to  guide  my  footsteps.  My  costume 
was  light;  my  shoes  were  good,  and  the  tem- 
perature was  not  oppressive.  Moreover,  no 
one  could  have  had  a  stronger  incentive  than  I 
for  haste. 

Although  my  horse  would  have  been  unable 
to  advance  in  the  direction  desired,  I  met  with 
better  success  than  I  anticipated.  Sometimes 
I  had  to  step  upon  a  boulder,  leap  across  a 
fissure,  climb  a  huge  rock  or  pick  my  course 
around  a  big  obstruction,  but  only  now  and 
then  was  I  brought  to  a  halt  and  compelled  to 
reconnoitre  before  resuming  progress. 

The  gloom  had  become  so  deep  that  I  could 
not  see  more  than  fifty  feet  in  any  direction. 
This  was  not  wholly  a  disadvantage. 

"The  Tobas  can't  locate  me  before  daylight 
and  I  much  doubt  whether  they  will  be  able  to 

16 


242  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

do  it  even  then.  By  that  time,  I  ought  to  be 
well  over  toward  the  other  side  of  these  hills, 
which  bobbed  up  just  at  the  time  when  it  was 
bad  for  me. ' ' 

My  experience  on  Gran  el  Chaco  had  im- 
pressed one  important  lesson  upon  me,  which 
was  to  stick  to  the  course  I  had  in  mind,  and 
guard  against  the  old  weakness  that  I  have 
pointed  out,  which  leads  one  to  travel  in  a 
roundabout  course  or  circle.  The  stars  shone 
with  such  brilliance  that  when  they  began  peep- 
ing from  the  sky,  I  fixed  upon  a  group,  toward 
the  eastern  horizon.  They  were  so  high  that  I 
knew  they  would  not  set  much  before  morning. 
I  made  sure  they  were  stamped  so  clearly  on 
my  vision  that  they  could  not  be  mistaken,  and 
resolutely  clung  to  them  as  my  compass.  Now 
and  then  they  seemed  to  shift  far  to  the  right  or 
left,  but  common  sense  prevailed,  and  I  escaped 
self-deception  in  that  respect. 

A  pleasing  discovery  came  within  the  follow- 
ing half  hour.  Pushing  aimlessly  onward  as  I 
had  been  steadily  doing,  I  had  come  upon  a 
natural  trail  which  gave  every  indication  of 
leading  directly  through  the  mountains.  At 
some  time  in  the  past  it  must  have  been  trav- 
ersed by  animals,  and  I  was  almost  certain  it 


THE  CUL  DE  SAC  243 

had  been  used  by  the  Tobas  in  riding  their 
horses  from  one  side  to  the  other. 

This  was  a  piece  of  good  fortune  indeed,  and 
I  was  in  high  spirits,  for  what  could  give  a  bet- 
ter promise  of  final  escape  ?  Once  on  the  other 
side  of  the  mountain  spur,  with  the  level  plain 
confronting  me,  it  would  be  a  straight  tramp 
to  the  Paraguay  river.  The  path,  although  up 
and  down  and  seldom  level,  steadily  ascended 
until  I  must  have  been  several  hundred  feet 
above  the  entrance  point. 

A  little  reflection  convinced  me  of  a  disquiet- 
ing fact  or  two.  Inasmuch  as  I  had  come  upon 
the  trail  after  penetrating  some  distance  among 
the  hills,  it  followed  that  its  beginning  was  at 
some  other  point  than  where  I  left  the  plain. 
This  point  must  be  known  to  the  Tobas,  who 
would  take  to  it  without  delay.  In  that  case,  it 
was  quite  likely  they  were  not  far  behind  me. 

This  conclusion  caused  such  a  shock  that  I 
stopped  short  and  looked  back  and  listened. 
Naught  met  my  eyes  but  the  dim  outlines  of 
rocks,  fading  in  the  obscurity,  with  the  millions 
of  stars  scintillating  in  the  crystalline  air  over- 
head. The  stillness  was  like  that  of  the  tomb, 
but  through  the  warm  air,  a  faint  murmur  stole 
to  my  ear  like  the  voice  of  silence  itself.  It  was 
the  sound  of  some  far  away  waterfall,  so  slight, 


244  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

however,  that  I  could  not  tell  whether  it  was  in 
front  or  on  one  side  of  the  trail. 

I  gasped  and  laid  my  hand  on  my  revolver, 
for  surely  that  was  the  dim  figure  of  a  man 
which  suddenly  appeared  in  the  path  behind  me, 
as  if  he  had  abruptly  risen  from  the  earth.  If 
there  was  to  be  a  fight,  I  meant  to  get  in  the 
first  blow. 

But  while  I  looked,  the  phantom  began  a 
strange,  flickering  motion,  elongated  to  an  ab- 
surd height,  and  then  whisked  upward  in  the 
gloom  and  vanished.  It  was  purely  fancy,  and, 
when  assured  of  that  fact,  as  I  was  the  next 
moment,  I  resumed  my  advance,  but  stepped 
like  an  Indian  scout  entering  a  hostile  camp, 
frequently  pausing  and  listening,  but  without 
discovering  anything  to  cause  additional  mis- 
giving. 

The  path  now  dipped  downward,  loose  peb- 
bles rattled  under  my  feet,  and  I  stepped  over 
a  brook  which  wound  its  way  across  the  trail. 
While  ascending  the  slope  on  the  other  side,  a 
dense  mass  of  undergrowth  brushed  against  my 
face  and  sides.  In  pushing  aside  the  leaves, 
something  that  was  harder  than  the  foliage 
met  my  hand.  I  stopped,  groped  around  till  I 
touched  the  substance  again.  Instantly  I  recog- 
nized it  as  the  algaraba  or  carob  fruit,  which, 


THE  CUL  DE  SAC  245 

as  you  will  remember,  is  not  only  nourishing, 
but  deliciously  juicy.  A  slight  examination  of 
the  bushes  showed  that  there  was  an  abundance 
of  it.  When  I  add  that  I  had  eaten  nothing 
for  twenty-four  hours,  that  I  had  grown  to  be 
quite  fond  of  this  tropical  production,  it  need 
not  be  added,  that,  despite  the  ever  present 
shadow  of  danger,  I  ate  ravenously.  It  was  a 
godsend  indeed,  for  I  do  not  see  in  what  other 
way  my  hunger  could  have  been  satisfied  before 
the  morrow. 

My  halt  was  hardly  fifteen  minutes  in  dura- 
tion. A  hungry  man,  with  a  plentiful  supply 
of  palatable  food  can  do  a  good  deal  in  that 
time. 

A  more  disturbing  sensation  can  hardly  be 
imagined  than  the  suspicion  that  some  one  is 
stealthily  following  you  in  the  darkness.  Time 
and  again,  I  stood  for  a  minute  or  two  motion- 
less in  the  path,  peering  into  the  obscurity  be- 
hind me,  and  listening  for  the  danger  which 
more  than  once  I  was  sure  was  about  to  leap 
upon  me.  The  annoyance  could  have  been  re- 
moved at  any  time  by  turning  aside  from  the 
trail  and  hiding  till  daylight,  but  that  meant  a 
stoppage  of  all  advance  for  the  time  named, 
and  the  hours  were  too  precious  thus  to  be 
thrown  away.  Wisdom  suggested  that  no  such 


24(5  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

halt  should  be  made,  so  long  as  the  advance 
could  be  pressed. 

It  must  have  been  near  midnight  when  I  was 
startled  by  the  discovery  that  it  was  not  from 
the  rear  alone  that  danger  was  to  be  feared. 
It  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  any  of  the  Tobas 
could  have  flanked  me  and  were  approaching 
from  the  front,  but  I  forgot  that  a  quadruped 
might  do  so.  From  this  fancied  security,  I  was 
awakened  by  a  sudden  growl  near  at  hand.  It 
came  at  the  moment  when  I  had  stopped  and 
was  looking  in  the  other  direction. 

Turning  my  head  like  a  flash,  I  saw  the  figure 
of  an  animal  that  suggested  a  large  mastiff, 
which  it  could  not  be,  but  it  was  some  sort  of 
wild  beast  that  did  not  intend  I  should  go  far- 
ther without  his  permission. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  I  was  much  frightened, 
for  I  had  tested  the  revolver  which  I  hastily 
drew,  too  often  to  distrust  it.  I  was  sure  I 
could  send  several  bullets  into  that  catlike  head 
with  its  glowing  eyes  before  he  could  reach  me, 
and  fired  at  so  short  a  distance,  they  would  be 
as  effective  as  rifle  bullets. 

There  were  two  reasons  why  I  did  not  wish  to 
fire :  my  supply  of  cartridges  was  running  low 
and  the  commonest  prudence  suggested  that 
they  should  be  carefully  husbanded,  so  long  as 


THE  CUL  DE  SAC  247 

I  was  in  the  country  of  the  Tobas.  Again, 
there  was  good  reason  to  believe  those  savages 
were  so  near  they  would  hear  the  report  of  the 
weapon. 

For  two  or  three  minutes  brute  and  I  stared 
at  each  other.  The  fact  that  the  cougar,  as  I 
believed  him  to  be,  contented  himself  with 
growling  without  taking  a  step  forward, 
showed  he  was  not  quite  certain  of  my  charac- 
ter, and  was  not  clear  as  to  what  he  ought  to 
do.  The  situation  called  for  strategy,  and,  de- 
spite the  undignified  figure  I  cut,  I  tried  it. 

I  assumed  a  crouching  posture,  which  short- 
ened my  stature  almost  one-half;  I  solemnly 
flapped  my  wings  like  an  immense  vulture  about 
to  take  flight  from  the  limb  of  a  tree,  and  emit- 
ted the  most  unearthly  noises  conceivable.  At 
the  same  time,  with  grotesque  flourishes  of  my 
legs,  I  slowly  advanced  toward  the  creature. 

It  would  be  interesting  if  one  could  know 
what  fancies  passed  through  the  brain  of  the 
cougar  during  those  trying  minutes.  No  dan- 
ger is  so  terrifying  as  that  whose  nature  is  un- 
known. The  brute  held  his  own  for  a  brief 
while,  growling  and  lashing  his  tail  so  vigor- 
ously that  I  heard  its  thumping  against  his  ribs. 
So  long  as  he  did  not  retreat,  I  kept  slackening 
my  rate  of  advance.  The  prospect  of  eventually 


248  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

reaching  him  was  so  unwelcome  that,  when  only 
two  or  three  paces  separated  us,  my  progress 
wholly  ceased,  though  the  ghostly  flapping  of 
the  arms  and  flourishes  of  the  lower  limbs  con- 
tinued. 

Fortunately  for  me  this  demonstration 
proved  too  much  for  the  brute.  With  a  rasping 
snarl,  he  whirled  around  and  dashed  off  in  the 
ecstasy  of  terror,  leaving  me  master  of  the 
field,  and  that  too  without  firing  one  of  my  val- 
uable cartridges.  I  would  have  laughed  over 
the  result,  had  not  the  situation  forbidden  all 
emotion  of  that  nature. 

The  fear  that  the  cougar  might  be  lying  in 
wait  somewhere  along  the  trail  caused  me  to 
keep  my  pistol  in  my  hand  as  I  stole  silently 
forward,  but  nothing  more  was  seen  of  him.  It 
is  quite  certain  that  he  had  been  so  thoroughly 
scared  that  he  did  not  recover  from  the  shock 
for  a  long  time  after  I  had  passed  out  of  his 
life. 

It  seemed  to  me  that  it  was  hardly  an  hour 
later  when,  to  my  astonishment,  the  growing 
light  In  advance  heralded  the  coming  of  day. 
At  such  times,  one  is  troubled  as  a  rule  by  the 
slow  passage  of  time,  but  once  more  it  proved 
the  other  way  with  me. 

The  consciousness  was  pleasing,  but  as  the 


THE  CUL  DE  SAC  249 

light  increased,  a  most  discouraging  discovery 
broke  upon  me.  The  trail  had  come  to  an  end 
and  it  was  impossible  to  advance  farther. 
Strange  as  it  may  seem,  I  had  actually  entered 
a  cut  de  sac,  and  was  as  effectually  stopped 
from  going  on  as  if  I  had  run  against  a  moun- 
tain wall.  In  truth  it  may  be  said  that  that  was 
really  what  I  had  done. 


;  CHAPTEE  XXIV 

CHECKED 

IF  EVER  a  man  was  cornered  I  was  that  man. 
After  having  penetrated  to  a  considerable 
distance  among  the  mountainous  hills,  I 
found  farther  progress  stopped  as  utterly  as  if 
I  had  brought  up  against  the  side  of  a  house. 
That  which  I  had  supposed  all  along  was  a  well 
traveled  trail  was  nothing  of  the  kind.  While 
it  was  one  of  those  natural  paths  that  are  liable 
to  be  met  with  at  any  time  in  similar  sections, 
it  was  not  traversed  by  the  natives  of  the  coun- 
try, at  least  not  on  the  back  of  their  horses. 
Wild  animals  doubless  made  their  way  over  it 
at  times,  and  it  was  their  footprints  which  I 
had  mistaken  for  those  of  beasts  ridden  by  the 
Tobas. 

My  situation  was  alarming  and  I  stood  for 
some  minutes  debating  what  was  the  best  thing 
to  do.  To  turn  back  promised  to  bring  me  face 
to  face  with  the  venomous  enemies  from  whom 
I  had  been  fleeing  for  many  hours,  for  it  was 
more  than  likely  the  sharp-witted  Tobas  had 

250 


CHECKED  251 

located  me  with  the  coming  of  daylight,  and  the 
stallion  whom  I  h&d  discarded  was  almost  cer- 
tainly in  their  hands. 

The  place  in  which  I  had  come  to  a  full  stop 
was  somewhat  depressed,  and  I  was  surrounded 
on  every  hand  by  towering  masses  of  rocks, 
boulders,  fissures  and  chasms,  which  made  the 
scene  of  the  wildest  nature  conceivable.  A 
temporary  refuge  was  at  command,  whichever 
way  I  turned,  but  that  meant  an  indefinite  halt, 
with  little  or  no  promise  of  final  escape.  Sorely 
perplexed,  I  stood  glancing  around,  searching 
for  some  avenue  that  led  farther  into  the  hills. 

Something  of  the  kind  seemed  to  present 
itself  a  little  way  in  front  and  to  the  left,  where 
it  seemed  that  by  climbing  a  mass  of  rocks  I 
should  find  the  means  of  pushing  into  the  dis- 
mal solitude.  I  was  in  the  act  of  taking  the 
first  step,  when  a  shadow  flitted  in  front  of  my 
face  suggesting  the  lightning-like  darting  of  a 
bird's  wing.  Instinctively  I  snapped  back  my 
head  and  glanced  around.  One  of  those  infer- 
nal spears  had  come  within  a  hair  of  piercing 
my  cheek,  but  just  missing  it,  whizzed  past,  and, 
striking  the  face  of  a  rock  a  dozen  feet  to  my 
right,  fell  to  the  ground. 

The  missile  had  come  from  my  left — the  di- 
rection of  the  rocks  where  I  hoped  to  climb  into 


252  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

some  sort  of  an  opening.  Instead  of  being 
thrown  into  a  panic  by  this  proof  of  the  near- 
ness of  my  enemies,  I  stood  still  and  looked 
keenly  toward  the  point  from  which  the  weapon 
had  come.  Not  a  living  creature  was  to  be 
seen.  Whoever  had  hurled  the  deadly  weapon 
was  crouching  somewhere  out  of  sight. 

Those  fellows  were  generally  provided  with 
three,  four  or  more  of  their  poisoned  spears, 
and  a  second,  aimed  with  fatal  accuracy,  was 
likely  to  follow  the  first.  Yielding  to  an  im- 
pulse whose  whimsicality  cannot  be  explained, 
I  stepped  to  the  right,  picked  up  the  missile  that 
had  missed  me,  and  then,  with  my  drawn  re- 
volver in  hand,  strode  toward  the  rocks  from 
behind  which  it  had  been  launched.  I  was  fully 
resolved  to  shoot  the  warrior  at  sight,  for  it 
would  have  been  the  height  of  foolishness  to 
show  any  consideration  for  the  wretches  who 
were  bent  on  capturing  me  and  putting  me  to 
the  torture,  provided  some  impatient  warrior, 
like  the  one  who  had  come  so  unexpectedly  on 
the  ground,  did  not  wind  up  the  business  by 
picking  me  off  when  I  could  not  defend  myself. 

Within  six  paces  of  the  rocks  which  I  had 
purposed  to  climb  an  opening  presented  itself. 
It  was  irregular  in  shape,  two  or  three  feet 
wide  at  the  broadest  part  and  of  a  height  that 


CHECKED  253 

permitted  me  to  enter  by  stooping  slightly. 
Everything  beyond  was  as  black  as  a  wolf's 
mouth.  The  cavern  might  be  only  a  few  yards 
in  depth  or  it  might  open  into  an  area  of  gloomy 
emptiness  like  that  of  the  Mammoth  Cave  of 
Kentucky.  There  was  no  time  to  debate  or  halt. 
Overcome  by  a  momentary  panic  at  the  dread 
of  the  hurtling  of  the  second  poisoned  spear,  I 
bounded  forward,  ducked  my  head  and  whisked 
into  the  opening.  There  was  no  interference 
with  my  action,  and  I  drew  a  breath  of  relief 
when  conscious  that  protection  was  secured,  if 
only  for  a  brief  while. 

The  light  at  the  entrance  allowed  me  to  see 
for  eight  or  ten  paces  into  the  interior,  at  which 
point  the  gloom  became  impenetrable.  It  was 
easy  to  observe  that  the  passage  broadened  and 
the  floor  sank  abruptly,  though  that  which  may 
be  termed  the  roof  did  not  rise.  Hurried  as  I 
was,  I  was  prudent  enough  to  pick  the  few  steps 
with  great  care.  Thinking  quickly,  the  impres- 
sion was  strong  that  it  was  not  prudent  for  me 
to  enter  any  farther,  at  least  for  the  present, 
for  I  should  be  followed  and  driven  into  a  still 
narrower  corner.  The  only  element  that  could 
be  appealed  to  in  the  case  of  the  Tobas  was 
fear,  which  would  be  intensified  by  promptness 


254  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

on  my  part.  The  true  motto  is  to  discourage 
your  foe  as  quickly  as  you  can. 

With  this  resolution,  I  halted  at  the  point 
named,  and  with  drawn  revolver,  awaited  the 
appearance  of  one  or  more  of  my  enemies.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  I  had  picked  up  the 
poisoned  spear — as  I  supposed  it  to  be — and 
brought  it  with  me,  though  there  was  no  con- 
ceivable pretext  for  doing  so.  I  fancy  I  had  a 
dim  idea  that  it  might  serve  me  in  a  hand  to 
hand  encounter,  though  the  revolver  promised 
to  be  a  hundred-fold  more  effective. 

The  increased  depth  of  the  entrance  allowed 
me  to  stand  upright,  with  every  nerve  on  the 
qui  vive,  eager  for  the  chance  to  send  any  or  all 
of  the  Tobas  to  their  eternal  hunting  grounds. 
Carefully  counting  my  cartridges  I  found  that 
in  addition  to  the  five  in  the  chambers  of  my 
weapon,  there  were  nineteen  remaining  in  my 
belt.  Provided  every  one  of  these  could  be 
made  effective,  it  would  dispose  of  the  whole 
band  that  had  chased  me  from  the  grove  and 
leave  a  "surplus  in  the  treasury."  But  no 
such  fatal  percentage  is  within  the  reach  of  the 
most  expert  handler  of  the  convenient  little 
weapon.  Some  of  the  shots  of  necessity  must 
be  lost,  and,  while  there  was  risk  in  husbanding 
my  ammunition  too  carefully,  there  was  no  less 


CHECKED  255 

danger  of  wasting  the  shots.  Heaven  helping 
me  I  would  make  every  one  tell. 

Some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  passed  in  this 
waiting  attitude,  with  my  nerves  keyed  to  the 
highest  tension,  when  the  sunlight  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  cave  was  obscured.  Directly  in  front 
of  it,  and  with  not  the  first  attempt  to  screen 
himself,  stood  my  man,  for  I  could  not  doubt 
that  he  was  the  one  who  had  hurled  the  spear 
at  me.  As  if  in  contempt  of  all  and  everything 
I  could  do,  he  was  planted  squarely  in  front, 
his  head  bent  a  little  forward,  his  attitude  sug- 
gesting that  he  was  peering  into  the  cavern  and 
listening.  He  held  a  second  spear  in  his  hand 
ready  to  drive  it  into  my  body  at  the  first 
glimpse  of  the  same. 

When  I  say  that  the  opportunity  thus  pre- 
sented was  an  ideal  one,  that  I  never  sighted 
more  carefully  and  never  had  a  fairer  mark, 
and  that  there  was  no  miss  on  the  part  of  my 
little  weapon,  it  would  seem  that  enough  had 
been  said.  The  Toba  emitted  a  single  emphatic 
exclamation  and  lay  directly  in  the  opening 
where  he  had  fallen  and  where  he  must  continue 
to  lie  until  some  of  his  friends  drew  the  body 
away. 

"The  others  can't  have  a  better  object  les- 
son," was  my  thought;  "it  doesn't  look  to  me 


256  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

as  if  they  will  try  to  buck  the  center,  after  my 
touch  down." 

The  emptied  chamber  was  refilled  and  I  sat 
down  to  await  developments.  As  the  minutes 
passed  a  man  in  my  situation  cannot  help  doing 
a  good  deal  in  the  way  of  thinking. 

Now,  nothing  was  clearer  than  that  the 
strained  situation  must  come  to  an  end  before 
many  hours.  The  Tobas  could  be  stood  off 
for  the  rest  of  the  day,  and  possibly  through 
the  succeeding  night,  by  which  time  the  disad- 
vantage must  be  fatally  against  me.  Provi- 
dentially, I  had  had  a  full  meal  a  brief  time 
before,  and  hunger  was  not  likely  to  be  a  factor 
in  the  case.  It  was  not  probable  that  water  was 
within  reach,  so  that  if  no  other  cause  inter- 
vened, they  must  eventually  bring  about  my 
downfall. 

Still  another  weakness  could  not  be  staved 
off.  No  resolution  or  effort  can  resist  the  in- 
sidious approach  of  sleep.  To  that  one  must 
succumb  sooner  or  later.  The  corollary  of  all 
this  was  that  the  question  must  be  settled  before 
the  rise  of  the  morrow's  sun. 

Seated  on  the  flinty  floor,  with  my  back 
against  the  rocks  at  the  side,  my  face  turned 
toward  the  opening  and  my  revolver  grasped 
and  resting  across  my  knees,  I  considered  the 


CHECKED  257 

possibilities  of  the  cavern  itself  as  a  means  of 
escape.  Did  it  extend  far  into  the  hills?  Had 
it  a  rear  opening,  through  which  I  might  pass 
unseen  ?  Had  it  hidden  nooks  where  a  fugitive 
might  hide  himself  against  discovery  ?  If  there 
was  an  outlet  at  the  rear  was  it  not  known  to 
the  Tobas?  Again  hope  asked,  Why  should 
this  natural  retreat  be  familiar  to  these  wild 
men,  when  there  was  no  conceivable  reason  for 
their  making  any  use  of  it  I 

When  a  man  feels  no  hunger  or  thirst,  has  a 
loaded  revolver  in  his  grasp,  with  a  goodly 
number  of  cartridges  in  reserve,  and  knows  he 
cannot  be  overcome  by  a  surprise  or  rush,  he 
must  be  a  nobody  indeed  if  he  does  not  feel 
pretty  courageous. 

6 '  I  wish  they  would  try  to  charge  upon  me, ' ' 
I  muttered;  "what  a  fine  chance  to  pick  them 
off!  If  they  kept  it  up  after  my  pistol  was 
emptied,  I  should  do  some  punching  with  the 
poisoned  spear.  This  would  prove  a  Ther- 
mopylae or  Alamo  indeed,  without  any  historian 
to  give  glory  to  the  single  survivor " 

Amid  the  profound  silence  a  soft  gliding 
noise  fell  upon  my  ear.  The  impression  at 
first  was  that  it  was  at  some  point  behind  me. 
Nervously  clutching  my  revolver,  I  peered  into 
the  impenetrable  gloom  and  listened. 

17 


258  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

Again  the  faint  rustling  made  itself  heard, 
but  on  the  instant  I  knew  it  was  from  the  front 
of  the  cavern  and  at  the  entrance.  Seeing 
nothing,  but  eager  to  anticipate  any  surprise,  I 
hurried  a  few  feet  toward  the  opening  and  then 
paused,  my  first  thought  being  that  the  Toba 
had  rallied  from  this  wound  and  was  creeping 
away,  but  a  moment's  reflection  convinced  me 
that  the  bullet  had  been  too  well  aimed  to  per- 
mit anything  of  that  nature. 

None  the  less,  the  body  was  moving.  It  has 
been  said  that  it  fell  directly  into  the  passage- 
way, so  that  no  one  entering  could  do  so  with- 
out stepping  over  it.  It  was  now  slowly  reced- 
ing from  sight.  Surviving  friends  had  seized 
a  foot  and  were  carefully  drawing  it  away. 

So  profound  was  my  resentful  rage  that  I 
stole  still  nearer,  searching  for  a  sight  of  the 
Tobas  engaged  in  doing  this.  They  were  seek- 
ing my  life,  and  I  was  anxious  to  follow  the 
Golden  Rule  of  David  Harum  which  advises  you 
to  do  the  other  fellow  before  he  does  you. 

I  got  the  chance  the  next  minute.  The  hand 
and  arm  of  one  of  the  Tobas  showed,  as  he 
reached  out  to  get  a  better  hold  of  his  fallen 
companion.  Like  a  flash  I  let  fly  and  hit  the 
limb  fairly,  as  its  instant  withdrawal  accompa- 
nied by  a  howl  proved. 


CHECKED  259 

"My  dusky  friend,  you  will  find  that  one  of 
the  most  dangerous  things  for  an  untamed  bar- 
barian to  do  is  to  rouse  the  ire  of  a  subject  of 
the  United  States  of  America,"  I  muttered,  as 
I  held  the  weapon  for  instant  use  again.  But 
the  opportunity  was  not  presented.  The  body 
had  been  seized  by  another  Toba  and  whisked 
in  a  twinkling  beyond  view. 

It  will  be  admitted  that  these  forceful  proofs 
of  my  vigilance  could  not  fail  to  have  a  deter- 
rent effect  on  the  party  of  wild  men  that  were 
gathered  around  the  opening.  Nothing  was 
more  certain  than  that  they  would  make  no  fur- 
ther demonstration  for  several  hours,  most 
likely  not  before  nightfall.  I  decided  to  im- 
prove the  time  by  the  best  examination  I  could 
make  of  the  cavern  which  for  the  time  had  be- 
come my  Port  Arthur. 

Turning  away,  therefore,  from  the  opening, 
through  which  a  few  minutes  later  the  savages 
might  have  pushed  their  way  unchallenged,  I 
groped  with  the  utmost  care  along  the  passage. 
It  continued  descending,  and,  before  going  more 
than  three  or  four  rods,  my  position  was  so  de- 
pressed that  the  irregular  opening  was  no 
longer  in  view, — only  a  dim  reflection  showing 
its  location. 

Throughout  my  varied  experiences  in  the  for- 


260  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

bidden  land,  I  had  managed  to  preserve  my 
rubber  match  safe,  which  was  half  filled  with 
its  tiny  bits  of  pine  and  phosphorus.  Drawing 
forth  one  of  these,  I  scratched  it  on  the  corru- 
gated bottom  and  held  the  little  twist  of  flame 
above  my  head.  As  the  bit  of  fire  grew,  it  par- 
tially lit  up  the  gloom  in  front  and  disclosed  an 
impressive  scene.  The  cavern  expanded  into 
an  immense  amphitheatre,  whose  limits  were 
beyond  reach  of  my  vision.  It  must  have  been 
hundreds  of  feet  in  width  and  depth,  with  a 
height  almost  as  great.  The  rocky  floor  in 
front  of  me  still  sloped  abruptly  downward,  for 
twenty  or  more  paces,  wk^n  something  resem- 
bling a  level  was  reached. 

By  the  time  this  much  was  ascertained  my 
match  was  burning  my  fingers,  and  I  flung  away 
the  fragment  and  lit  another.  The  same  strik- 
ing view  opened  before  me,  and  this  time  I 
caught  the  gleam  of  something  on  the  farther 
side  of  my  field  of  vision.  A  second  glance 
showed  that  it  was  water,  and  a  soft,  gurgling 
revealed  that  it  was  a  running  stream,  which 
must  have  entered  the  cavern  at  one  side  and 
flowed  out  at  the  other. 

"That  makes  one  thing  certain, — I  shall  not 
die  of  thirst,  but  no  way  of  providing  myself 
with  food  has  shown  itself." 


CHECKED  261 

That  which  I  looked  for  and  fervently  prayed 
I  should  not  find  was  an  opening  through  which 
the  Tobas  might  steal  upon  me  from  the  rear. 
I  failed  to  discover  anything  of  that  nature, 
but  unfortunately  the  fact  could  not  be  accepted 
as  proof  that  such  entrance  did  not  exist. 

Hesitating  a  brief  while,  I  next  descended  the 
slope,  and  finally  after  much  pains  and  labor 
reached  the  edge  of  the  underground  river, 
whose  flow  was  quite  perceptible,  though  so 
smooth  that  it  seemed  to  encounter  no  obstruc- 
tion. Here  another  match  was  lighted  and  held 
above  my  head.  The  stream  was  thirty  or 
forty  feet  wide  and  probably  quite  deep,  though 
there  was  no  means  of  telling  the  extent.  It 
flowed  through  a  valley-like  depression,  with  no 
high,  rocky  banks  on  either  side,  and  was  lost 
in  the  gloom  on  the  left,  as  it  was  shut  off  from 
sight  on  the  right,  its  course  being  slightly  curv- 
ing. Searching  scrutiny  failed  to  show  a  glim- 
mer of  light  that  would  have  been  created  by 
any  opening  in  the  cavern.  I  lay  down  on  my 
face  and  drank  deeply,  finding  the  current  clear 
and  moderately  cold. 

Although  I  had  not  been  long  absent  from  the 
passage,  a  feeling  of  uneasiness  caused  me  to 
turn  and  retrace  my  steps.  Since  there  seemed 
no  cause  for  using  my  matches,  I  husbanded 


262  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

them  for  the  future,  but  when  it  began  to  look 
as  if  I  had  lost  my  way,  I  lit  another,  and  thus 
set  to  right,  soon  returned  to  my  post,  a  few 
paces  in  front  of  the  opening,  which  had  proved 
fatal  to  one  of  the  Tobas  and  somewhat  costly 
to  another. 

So  far  as  I  could  perceive,  not  the  slightest 
change  had  taken  place.  It  was  hardly  to  be 
supposed  that  the  wild  men,  after  their  lesson, 
would  make  a  second  venture  until  the  oppor- 
tunity was  more  inviting. 

Hour  after  hour  I  maintained  my  post,  my 
back  against  the  rocks,  the  revolver  in  my  lap, 
and  sight  and  hearing  keyed  to  the  highest  ten- 
sion. During  all  that  time  I  neither  saw  nor 
heard  anything  to  make  me  suspect  a  living 
person  was  within  miles  of  my  refuge.  I  did 
not  forget  to  give  attention  to  the  rear,  which 
also  failed  to  yield  any  sign.  Although  I  would 
have  been  loath  to  admit  it,  I  have  no  doubt 
now  that  I  slept  fully  two  hours.  It  was  a 
strange  but  unavoidable  oversight  on  my  part, 
but  after  all,  was  a  piece  of  good  fortune,  since 
it  prepared  me  for  the  vigilance  that  would  be 
indispensable  throughout  the  night. 

My  next  discovery  was  that  the  day  was  gone, 
and  it  was  beginning  to  grow  dark  on  the  out- 
side. While  this  naturally  must  lessen  the  il- 


CHECKED  263 

lumination,  it  would  be  easy  to  locate  the  open- 
ing at  all  times,  for  the  stargleam  would  reveal 
it. 

It  was  still  comparatively  early  in  the  even- 
ing, when  a  disturbance  entered  my  field  of 
vision.  Something  again  obtruded  across  the 
passageway,  deepening  the  obscurity,  and  cast- 
ing a  shadow,  as  may  be  said,  into  the  tunnel 
itself. 

On  the  alert,  I  crept  silently  forward,  to 
make  sure  of  my  aim.  There  was  no  mistake 
about  it:  the  bushy  head  and  the  shoulders  of 
a  man  were  slowly  rising  into  view  and  soon 
assumed  distinct  form.  I  was  not  ten  feet  dis- 
tant, when  I  sighted  as  carefully  as  I  could, 
where  it  was  necessary  to  depend  wholly  upon 
the  sense  of  feeling,  and  quickly  had  the  fellow 
so  fixed  that  escape  was  out  of  the  question. 
But  while  my  finger  was  pressing  the  trigger  a 
soft  and  not  unmusical  crooning  came  through 
the  stillness : 

t '  Alabama  agin !    Alabama  agin ! 
Ef  I  lib  till  de  sun  shines  tomorrer, 
I'll  go  back  to  Alabama  agin." 


CHAPTER  XXV 

SHUT  IN 

THERE  was  no  mistaking  the  voice.     It  be- 
longed to  Casca. 

He  never  knew  by  what  a  hair's 
breadth  he  escaped  death  at  the  hands  of  him 
who  never  would  have  ceased  to  mourn  the 
tragedy  for  which  after  all  he  would  not  have 
been  responsible. 

With  a  gasp  of  relief  I  lowered  my  weapon, 
but  did  not  speak,  for  prudence  warned  me  to 
wait  for  the  cue  from  the  African. 

Having  finished  the  snatch  of  a  melody  that 
was  popular  a  half-century  ago,  he  called  out, 
with  an  impatience  of  tone  that  belied  the  words 
themselves : 

"Ef  yo'  am  in  dar  don't  spoke!  I'll  call  two, 
free  times,  but  yo'  must  keep  mum;  den  I'll 
begin  crawlin'  in  to  whar  yo'  is,  and  den  we'll 
bofe  spoke.  Ef  yo'  hyars  me,  give  a  little  hiss 
like  de  gander  dat  I  fears  yo '  am ! ' ' 

He  listened  and  I  emitted  a  sibilant  sound 
which  reached  his  ears. 

264 


SHUT  IN  265 

"I  hyars  yo',  honey;  I's  comin'." 

He  stooped  more  than  was  necessary,  and 
noiselessly  entered  the  passage,  as  if  fearful  of 
being  fired  upon  with  every  inch  of  advance. 
The  Tobas  during  those  trying  minutes  must 
have  accepted  him  as  the  hero  he  had  become 
long  before  in  my  eyes. 

My  dusky  friend  advanced  steadily  till  hardly 
a  pace  separated  us.  Then  he  stopped  and 
partly  straightened  himself,  meanwhile  peering 
into  the  gloom. 

"Is  yo'  dar?"  he  asked  in  a  ghostly  whisper. 

"Yes,"  I  whispered  in  rjeturn,  "God  bless 
you,  Casca!" 

I  managed  to  seize  his  hand  and  to  press  it 
warmly.  He  brought  with  him  a  single  spear, 
but  had  transferred  it  to  his  left  hand.  As  he 
returned  my  pressure,  he  chuckled: 

"Dis  am  de  best  joke  sin  de  time  I  loaded  a 
watermillion  would  a  package  ob  gunpowder, 
dat  went  off  jes?  as  Deacon  Johnson  sunk  his 
jaws  into  de  same  and  it  blowed  all  de  wool  off 
de  top  of  his  head." 

"Are  the  Tobas  out  there?"  I  asked,  in  the 
same  guarded  undertone. 

"Yas, — de  whole  caboodle,  includin'  him  dat 
you  plugged  and  de  debbil  dat  wont  eber  be  able 


266  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

to  play  de  wiolin  '  count  ob  dat  bullet  he  got 
f rough  de  elbow. ' ' 

"Is  it  possible,  Casca,  that  none  of  them  has 
any  suspicion  of  you?" 

"Lord  bress  yo'  ef  dey  had,  Casca  Jones 
wouldn't  be  hyah,  but  I'm  thinkin'  dat  powerful 
soon  de'll  sot  me  down  as  de  biggest  willain  dat 
Alabama  eber  sent  out  inter  de  world ;  I  Ve  got 
yo'  pistol  hyah,  and  dar's  four  charges  in  it; 
yo'  'members  dat  I  made  dat  ole  chief  debbil, 
Chief  Zip-wip-na  a  present  ob  one  of  dem ;  Ise 
took  good  keer  to  sabe  de  rest  to  use  on  de  oder 
trash." 

"And  I  have  a  pretty  good  supply  of  car- 
tridges left. " 

It  took  but  a  few  minutes  for  the  faithful 
African  fully  to  explain  matters.  I  have  al- 
ready told  of  his  action  in  the  grove,  after  my 
hurried  flight.  He  was  gradually  able  to  draw 
closer  to  the  Tobas  who  were  pursuing  me,  and 
at  nightfall  he  came  up  with  the  horseman  who 
occupied  the  middle  of  the  line,  and  who,  after 
the  death  of  the  regular  chief,  had  become  the 
leader.  When  they  saw  me  vanish  among  the 
hills,  this  fellow  called  the  others  around  him 
to  decide  upon  the  policy  to  be  followed. 

Having  reached  this  point  in  his  narration, 
Casca  added  the  remarkable  statement  that  he 


SHUT  IN  267 

was  more  familiar  with  the  hills  in  which  I  had 
taken  refuge  than  were  any  of  the  Tobas.  This 
was  due  to  the  fact  that  he  and  Zip-wip-na  had 
hunted  through  the  region,  a  year  previous.  It 
was  one  of  those  few  occasions  when  the  chief 
tested  the  African's  wishes  regarding  a  stay 
among  his  tribe.  Had  the  couple  been  alone, 
Casca  would  have  been  very  quick  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  opening,  but  the  sagacious  fel- 
low knew  that  fully  a  dozen  warriors  were  scat- 
tered here  and  there  among  the  hills,  and  it 
would  have  been  impossible  for  him  to  elude 
them.  He  played  his  cards  so  well  that  he  dis- 
sipated all  suspicion  on  the  part  of  the  Tobas 
and  their  chief.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
taking  off  of  this  leader  was  more  advantageous 
to  me  than  at  first  seemed  to  be  the  fact. 

Casca  did  not  know  of  my  narrow  escape  from 
the  spear  of  the  warrior  who  saw  me  before 
I  discovered  him,  but  the  others  who  were 
searching  among  the  hills  for  me  hastened  to 
the  spot,  when  his  cry  and  the  muffled  report  of 
my  pistol  told  their  story.  All  this  time  Casca 
had  been  trying  to  locate  me,  and  to  open  com- 
munication between  us,  but  the  exceeding  deli- 
cacy of  his  situation  will  be  understood. 

"When  I  seed  what  yo'  had  did  and  knowed 
whar  yo'  war  and  what  you  war  likely  to  do 


268  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

agin,  as  soon  as  dey  give  yo'  de  chance,  it  nearly 
made  me  bust  to  keep  from  singin'  '  Alabama 
agin'  and  dancin'  de  double  shuffle,  as  I  doned 
among  de  trees  after  de  debbils  started  after 
yo'  and  luf  me  behind ;  but  I  managed  to  hold  in 
and  look  and  act  as  if  I  war  mad  clean  f rough. ' ' 

"Is  your  spear  poisoned?" 

"  It  's  de  wust  one  in  de  kentry ;  a  prick  from 
it  will  be  worse  dan  de  bite  ob  an  Alabama 
rattler. ' ' 

"I  have  brought  one  with  me  also  into  the 
cave." 

'  '  No,  you  habent, ' '  was  the  reply ;  ' '  dat  spear 
habent  a  bit  of  p  'ison  on  it ;  do  you  'spose  dat 
ef  it  had,  de  warmint  would  hab  tried  to  hit  yo ' 
wid  it?  Not  by  a  big  majority;  he  wanted  'jes 
to  gib  yo'  a  taste  ob  what  war  waitin'  for  yo'." 

"But  what  is  your  understanding  with  the 
Tobas?" 

"Yo'  knows  dat  dey'll  fight  like  de  debbil, 
but  dar  aint  one  ob  'em  dat  dare  come  into  dis 
passage  f  rough  fear  dat  yo'  am  waitin'  fur  'em 
to  do  dat  wery  ting ;  when  yo '  plunked  dat  war- 
mint  dat  was  pullin'  de  leg  ob  de  one  yo'  had 
plunked  previous  and  aforetime,  it  jes'  give  'em 
de  biggest  scare  dat  war  eber  handed  out  to 
anybody.  So  dey  all  sot  around  and  decided  to 
wait  till  night  afore  tryin'  it  agin.  When  night 


SHUT  IN  269 

come  dar  pluck  hadn't  growed  much  and  I  know 
dey  felt  powerful  reliebed  to  hear  me  say  I'd 
try  it." 

"What  was  the  understanding  between 
you?" 

"If  I  was  able  to  got  wery  far  into  de  cavern 
I  was  to  gib  dem  de  signal  and  dey  'greed  to 
rush  in  after  me;  dat's  what  de  warmints  am 
waitin'  fur  now,"  added  Casca  with  one  of  his 
chuckles. 

The  African  now  proposed  something  which 
may  perhaps  have  been  justifiable  in  the  circum- 
stances, but  to  which  I  could  not  give  assent, 
since  it  savored  too  much  of  the  ways  of  the 
Tobas  themselves.  He  urged  that  the  signal 
should  be  given,  and  the  wild  men  be  allowed  to 
swarm  into  the  passage.  At  the  most  favorable 
moment,  we  were  to  open  on  them  with  our  re- 
volvers, after  which  the  muscular  fellow  would 
bring  his  poisoned  spear  into  use.  He  was  con- 
fident that  we  could  wipe  out  the  whole  band, 
and  leave  the  way  clear  to  our  escape  at  our 
leisure  from  the  country. 

I  am  half  inclined  to  think  he  was  right  and 
certainly  the  Tobas  deserved  such  a  wholesale 
taking  off,  but  I  recoiled  from  the  scheme. 

"Don't  urge  me,  Casca;  I  don't  doubt  that 
the  repulse,  even  if  we  did  not  slay  all,  would 


270  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

make  us  safe  from  further  attack,  but  we  have 
enough  advantage  as  it  is,  and  we  shall  be  able 
to  stand  them  off  by  honorable  warfare. ' ' 

"We'se  got  to  do  sumfin  moah  dan  stand  'em 
off, ' '  he  growled,  but  finally  deferred  to  my 
wishes,  though  his  assent  was  made  with  ill 
grace. 

My  colored  friend  was  certainly  fertile  in 
expedients.  Much  as  has  been  said  between 
us,  we  had  not  been  together  for  more  than  ten 
or  fifteen  minutes.  Since  by  my  wish  the  line 
of  policy  had  been  radically  changed,  he  was 
quick  to  propose  an  ingenious  scheme  to  which 
I  gave  my  consent.  It  was  to  make  the  Tobas, 
waiting  and  listening  on  the  outside,  believe  he 
had  been  shot  and  killed  by  me.  This,  it  would 
seem,  ought  to  keep  them  from  entering  the 
cavern  for  an  indefinite  time,  and  probably 
would  cause  them  to  decide  to  starve  us  out. 

No  sooner  had  he  explained  his  idea,  than  he 
pointed  his  weapon  at  the  top  of  the  passage 
and  pulled  the  trigger.  The  report  reverber- 
ated through  the  rocky  retreat,  but  it  hardly 
equalled  one-tenth  of  the  volume  made  by  his 
tremendous  lungs.  He  emitted  a  yell  that 
fairly  split  my  ears,  and  then,  giving  vent  to 
his  suppressed  feelings,  he  executed  his  favorite 
double  shuffle,  at  the  risk  of  bruising  his  huge 


SHUT  IN  271 

feet  irreparably,  and  by  hard  work  toned  down 
his  joyous  song: 

' '  Alabama  agin !    Alabama  agin ! ' '  etc. 

Then  sitting  beside  me  in  the  gloom,  he 
chuckled : 

' '  Gee  whilikins !  but  dat  will  scare  'em  out  ob 
a  yeah's  growth  and  none  ob  'em  will  creep  in 
hyah  to  drag  me  away  like  dey  did  wid  de  oder 
warmint. ' ' 

No  doubt  the  shot  and  accompanying  cry  ac- 
complished all  that  their  author  intended.  It 
was  fully  night,  but  enough  light  remained  to 
bring  the  opening  of  the  passage  into  clear  re- 
lief. The  most  stealthy  Toba  could  not  enter  it 
without  being  detected  by  us,  and  he  was  too 
certain  of  his  reception  to  incur  such  a  risk. 

Casca  struck  his  broad  hand  upon  his  knee 
with  a  resounding  slap. 

"You  kin  sot  it  down  as  a  fac'  dat  none  ob 
'em  will  try  to  crawl  in  onto  us;  we  kin  go  to 
sleep  or  take  a  look  round  de  inside  ob  de 
cavern. ' ' 

* '  How  much  do  you  know  about  it,  Casca  ? ' ' 

"Not  much,  except  dat  it  am  bigger  inside 
dan  a  dozen  meetin'  houses." 

"Do  you  know  whether  there  is  any  opening 


272  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

at  the  rear,  by  which  the  Tobas  could  steal  upon 
us?" 

6 '  Dunno, ' '  was  his  reply ; ' '  ole  Zip-wip-na  and 
me  took  a  good  look  round  inside  and  outside ; 
his  folks  hab  a  way  of  starting  a  fiah  by  rubbin' 
tow  sticks  togedder,  and  he  walked  ahead  ob  me 
into  cavern,  holdin'  a  big  torch  ober  his  head. 
I  tell  yo V'  added  Casca,  "when  I  seed  him  step 
into  de  ribber  ahead  ob  me,  and  I  knowed  how 
easy  I  could  grab  him  and  hold  him  under  de 
watah  till  he  hadn't  any  bref  left,  it  was  power- 
ful hard  work  fur  me  to  keep  from  doin'  dat 
same,  but  I  knowed  de  oder  debbils  war  waitin' 
outside,  and  I  played  de  good  boy. ' ' 

"Did  you  wade  across  the  stream?" 

"Yas,  clar  to  de  oder  side." 

"Did  you  have  to  swim?" 

"It  comes  only  to  yo?  waist  in  de  deepest  part, 
which  am  in  de  middle;  we  tramped  long  de 
oder  bank  till  we  come  to  de  place  where  it 
dipped  under  de  rocks  at  de  furder  side  ob  de 
cavern,  and  den  we  corned  back. ' ' 

"Several  things  are  certain,"  I  remarked 
thoughtfully;  "of  course  we  cannot  suffer  for 
the  want  of  water,  and,  provided  the  Tobas  do 
not  discover  any  other  opening  by  which  to 
steal  a  march  upon  us,  we  can  keep  them  out  of 


SHUT  IN  273 

the  cavern,  but  what  are  we  to  do  for  something 
to  eat?" 

"  Can't  do  nuffin,"  growled  Casca,  "  which  we 
could  hab  done  if  yo'  warnt  so  squeamish." 

"Do  you  suppose  there  are  any  fish  in  this 
underground  stream?" 

' '  Dunno ;  but  what  difference  would  it  make  if 
dar  war  a  tousand?  Dar  aint  no  way  for  us  to 
cotch  'em,  onless  yo'  hab  a  fish  line  and  some 
bait  hid  about  yo '  clothes. ' ' 

"I  haven't  anything  of  the  kind;  I  am  think- 
ing of  a  plan  that  I  must  admit  is  a  pretty 
desperate  one." 

"What  amdat?" 

"That  we  should  see  that  every  chamber  of 
our  revolvers  is  loaded  and  then  make  a  dash 
out  the  front,  firing  right  and  left;  don't  you 
think  it  would  scatter  them?" 

The  scheme  commended  itself  to  my  com- 
panion, who  became  urgent  that  we  should  act 
upon  it  without  delay. 

"Wont  dey  open  dar  eyes,  when  dey  obsarve 
dat  I've  jined  forces  wid  yo'?  But  hold  on," 
he  added  with  such  abruptness  that  I  knew  he 
had  thought  of  some  formidable  objection  to  the 
dash  which  at  first  commended  itself  to  him; 
' '  Ise  af eard  it  wont  do. ' ' 

"Why  not?" 

18 


274  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

"As  I  figger  it  dar's  ten  ob  de  warmits  left, 
countin'  de  last  one  yo'  hit,  and  ebery  one  ob 
'em  has  got  one  or  more  p  'isoned  spears  among 
'em  dat  aint  p 'isoned;  we'd  made  de  biggest 
kind  ob  hustle,  but  we  couldn't  wipe  'em  all  out 
quick  'nough  to  stop  one  or  two  from  drivin' 
some  ob  de  p'isoned  tings  into  our  hides,  and 
den  it  will  be  all  day  wid  us. ' ' 

This  was  a  serious  objection  indeed,  and, 
while  I  sat  silent  and  meditating,  Casca  gloom- 
ily aded : 

"And  dat  aint  de  wust  ob  it." 

" What  is  the  worst?" 

"Dar'll  be  twenty  moah  warmints  outside 
purty  soon,  ef  dey  habent  already  arrove,  which 
am  likely. ' ' 

"How  can  you  know  that,  Casca?" 

"De  talk  afore  I  corned  in  was  dat  if  I  didn't 
come  out  agin  or  let  'em  know  dat  all  was  right, 
dey  war  to  signal  for  some  more  ob  de  war- 
mints  dat  aint  fur  off  and  dey '11  be  sure  to  be 
on  hand. ' ' 

"We  have  heard  nothing  that  sounds  like  a 
signal. ' 9 

"Dey  will  send  two  ob  dar  best  runners  back 
among  de  hills  and  let  dem  do  de  callin'  and  we 
wont  heah  a  word  ob  it." 

"Then  let  us  make  our  charge  at  once." 


SHUT  IN  275 

But  the  African,  who  was  certainly  not  lack- 
ing in  personal  courage,  refused  to  agree  to  my 
proposal.  Certainly  none  knew  better  than  he 
the  deadly  nature  of  the  favorite  weapon  of  the 
wild  men,  and  I  could  not  fail  to  admit  the 
reasonableness  of  his  stand. 

We  sat  in  silence  for  a  number  of  minutes, 
each  busy  with  his  thoughts.  I  could  not  but 
admit  that  I  was  at  the  end  of  my  resources, 
and  found  it  impossible  to  figure  out  any  way  of 
helping  ourselves.  I  was  able  even  to  feel 
sympathy  for  the  loyal  colored  man,  who  had 
taken  the  irrevocable  step  that  he  might  help 
me  to  my  life  and  freedom.  Such  a  contin- 
gency as  a  rescue  was  out  of  the  question,  for 
where  was  there  any  one  to  rescue  us  I  It  was 
impossible  to  tell  whether  Higgenbottom  was 
alive  or  dead.  All  the  probabilities  pointed  to 
his  death,  but  if  among  the  living,  he  could  not 
have  the  remotest  idea  of  my  dilemma,  and  had 
it  been  known  to  him,  could  not  bring  any  party 
to  my  assistance. 

I  was  waiting  for  Casca  to  speak,  when  a 
heavy,  thudding  sound  fell  upon  our  ears.  In- 
stinctively we  glanced  at  the  opening  of  the 
passage.  Where  we  had  seen  the  dim  glow 
caused  by  the  starlight,  there  was  nothing  but 
blank,  impenetrable  darkness.  Not  the  slight- 


276  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

est  outline  of  the  primeval  door  could  be  dis- 
tinguished. 

We  knew  what  it  meant ;  the  Tobas  had  rolled 
over  a  huge  boulder,  so  that  it  blocked  the  tun- 
nel; it  may  be  said  we  were  not  only  shut  in, 
but  the  lid  was  hermetically  sealed. 

The  African  uttered  an  expression  of  angry 
disgust. 

"What  did  de  blamed  fools  done  dat  fur? 
Dey  must  hab  knowed  yo'  haint  any  idee  ob 
pokin'  yo'  nose  outside,  and  dar  aint  no  use  ob 
shettin'  yo'  in,  when  all  yo's  doin'  is  to  stay 
whar  yo '  be  already. ' ' 

"Let's  make  a  little  investigation,  Casca." 

"Whar  fur?" 

"I  know  of  no  special  reason,  but  possibly  we 
shall  learn  something  of  interest  to  us." 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  BLACKNESS  OF  DARKNESS 

IN  THE  surprise  of  the  incident,  neither  my 
dusky  companion  nor  myself  realized  for 
a  few  minutes  its  fearful  meaning.  We 
moved  silently  along  the  dark  passage,  though 
there  was  no  reason  for  so  much  caution,  until 
we  reached  the  mass  of  stone  that  had  been 
rolled  into  position. 

"Here  it  is,"  I  whispered,  as  I  placed  my 
hand  against  the  boulder. 

"I  reckons  it  am,"  added  Casca  in  a  voice 
that  he  did  not  attempt  to  moderate;  "I  tells 
yo '  what  we  must  do. ' 9 

"What's  that?" 

"We  must  shove  it  out  ob  de  way  and  den 
make  a  rush;  bofe  our  pistols  am  loaded  and 
we  kin  pop  some  ob  'em  ober,  and  I'll  use  my 
p'isoned  spear." 

No  scheme  could  be  more  desperate,  but  there 
was  no  hesitation,  each  instinctively  feeling  that 
it  was  the  only  one  that  offered  a  grain  of  hope. 

377 


278  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

I  shoved  my  weapon  into  my  belt,  so  as  to  give 
my  hands  free  play,  and  I  knew  Casca  was 
equally  prepared. 

Groping  about  till  we  learned  something  of 
the  conformation  of  the  boulder  on  the  side 
toward  us,  we  placed  our  hands  against  it  near 
the  middle,  braced  our  feet,  and  I  whispered : 

"Are  you  ready?" 

"Yas." 

"Then  together;  now!" 

We  pushed  with  the  last  ounce  of  strength  at 
our  command.  We  held  our  breath  and  no  two 
men  could  have  striven  harder.  Our  feet 
slipped  at  first,  but  we  got  a  firm  hold  on  the 
flinty  floor,  and  wrought  with  might  and  main. 

We  did  not  budge  the  boulder  to  the  extent 
of  a  hair. 

We  kept  it  up  till  exhausted  and  then  tried 
again.  When  I  once  more  muttered  "Now," 
we  did  our  utmost.  Alas!  we  might  as  well 
have  tried  to  shove  a  locomotive  off  the  rails. 
Finally  we  stopped,  panting  and  tired. 

"No  use,  Casca;  we  are  shut  in  hard  and 
fast." 

"It  does  sorter  hab  dat  look,"  he  replied, 
with  no  evidence  of  disappointment;  "we  shall 
hab  to  try  sumfin  else. ' ' 


THE  BLACKNESS  OF  DARKNESS  279 

" Something  else!"  I  repeated;  "what  can 
it  be?" 

' '  Dunno ;  I  '11  hab  to  do  some  thinkin '. ' ' 

Although  the  rock  shut  us  in,  as  I  have  shown, 
there  were  crevices  at  the  sides  and  one  at  the 
top  caused  by  the  irregular  outline  of  the  ob- 
struction, but  none  of  these  was  large  enough 
to  allow  an  animal  bigger  than  a  rabbit  to 
squeeze  through.  The  starlight  showed  faintly 
beyond,  so  that  the  outline  of  these  small  open- 
ings could  be  traced  by  the  eye. 

Suddenly  Casca  placed  his  big  hand  on  my 
arm  and  whispered : 

"Shi" 

The  craggy  opening  at  the  top  of  the  boulder 
was  darkened.  Something  had  interposed  to 
shut  off  the  light.  Before  I  could  conjecture 
its  meaning,  my  ears  tingled  with  the  resound- 
ing report  of  the  African's  revolver,  beside  my 
face.  He  had  fired  at  the  object,  which  was  the 
face  of  one  of  the  Tobas,  evidently  trying  to 
peer  into  the  passage,  or  he  may  have  turned 
his  ear  to  the  opening,  with  a  view  of  hearing 
what  was  going  on  within.  Be  that  as  it  may, 
he  paid  for  his  recklessness  with  his  life,  for 
the  bullet  passed  through  his  brain  and  he  top- 
pled over  backward  with  a  single  cry  which  told 
its  story. 


280  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

And  then  Casca  Jones  did  an  astonishing 
thing.  With  his  mouth  as  close  to  the  opening 
as  was  safe,  he  shouted  to  the  Tobas  in  their 
own  tongue,  afterward  explaining  to  me  what 
he  said.  He  announced  to  them  that  he  was 
with  the  white  man,  that  neither  of  them  had 
suffered  so  much  as  a  scratch  and  both  were  in 
the  best  of  spirits.  Moreover,  he  declared  that 
it  was  he  who  had  shot  Chief  Zip-wip-na,  for  no 
other  reason  than  to  give  me  the  chance  of  get- 
ting away  on  his  horse,  which  I  had  mounted 
on  his  advice.  It  was  he  also  who  had  fired  the 
last  shot  and  he  intended  to  shoot  every  blamed 
Toba  upon  whom  he  could  draw  bead. 

"Why  under  heaven  did  you  do  that?"  I 
asked. 

He  chuckled. 

"I  want  to  make  'em  mad  and  I  guess  IVe 
doned  it;  I  wish  'em  to  know  dat  dey 're  up 
aginst  two  ob  us  instead  ob  only  one." 

"What  good  can  that  do?" 

"Ef  dey  thought  dere  war  only  yo',  dey'd 
be  likely  after  awhile  when  it  looked  to  'em  dat 
yo'  war  purty  weak,  to  sneak  in  on  yo',  and 
f otch  yo '  out  to  hab  some  fun  wid  yo ' ;  now  dat 
dey  knows  I'm  wid  yo',  I  reckons  as  how  dey 
won't  try  anyt'ing  ob  dat  sort," 

There  may  have  been  wisdom  in  the  view  of 


THE  BLACKNESS  OF  DARKNESS  281 

the  colored  man,  but  it  was  hard  after  all  to  see 
how  it  could  help  us,  even  in  the  slightest  de- 
gree. If  in  the  end,  I  should  succumb  to  hun- 
ger, he  must  do  likewise.  However,  the  thing 
was  done,  and  it  was  useless  to  think  of  recall- 
ing it,  even  had  we  wished  to  do  so. 

As  a  rule  an  unharmed  man  with  weapons  at 
his  command  does  not  yield  to  despair  for  a 
considerable  time  to  say  the  least.  While  my 
comrade  was  chuckling,  I  was  thinking  hard. 

"Casca,"  I  said,  "  there  is  no  use  in  our  try- 
ing to  push  that  boulder  away  from  the  entrance 
by  sheer  strength ;  I  wonder  whether  we  cannot 
bring  a  lever  into  play." 

"What's  dat?"  he  asked,  failing  to  catch  my 
meaning.  I  explained,  and  he  said: 

"It  am  obzactly  de  ting,  but  dere's  only  one 
ting  against  it." 

"What's  that?" 

"Whar  we  gwine  to  git  de  leber?" 

That  was  the  question  indeed,  but  I  had  cogi- 
tated over  the  answer. 

"There  must  be  something  that  will  serve 
somewhere  in  the  cavern ;  a  strong  stick  will  be 
just  the  thing." 

"How  did  a  stick  eber  got  inside  ob  dis 
place?"  he  asked. 

The  chance  of  anything  of  the  kind  was  slight, 


282  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

but  we  resolutely  set  out  to  hunt  for  it.  Nothing 
could  be  more  certain  than  that  none  of  the 
Tobas  would  roll  away  the  stone  and  enter  the 
passage  themselves.  As  Casca  had  said,  they 
might  try  it  after  awhile,  but  hours — 
twenty-four  at  least — must  pass  before  they 
would  take  the  risk.  No  danger,  therefore, 
could  threaten  us  for  a  long  time,  from  that 
direction. 

I  took  the  lead  along  the  passageway,  down 
the  slope,  until  the  soft  gurgling  showed  we 
stood  on  the  margin  of  the  underground  river. 
There  we  paused  amid  the  blackness  of  dark- 
ness, for  not  the  slightest  glimmering  ray  was 
to  be  seen  in  any  direction.  The  matches  in  my 
rubber  safe  were  precious,  but  this  was  the  time 
to  use  them.  I  handed  three  to  Casca,  telling 
him  to  pick  his  way  alongside  the  stream  for  a 
few  yards  to  the  left  and  there  make  the  best 
search  he  could  with  the  feeble  help  of  the  tiny 
illumination. 

With  a  view  of  economy,  I  decided  not  to 
ignite  any  of  mine  until  after  his  hunt  was  over. 
He  did  his  work  well.  A  few  minutes  later,  I 
saw  the  little  flickering  point,  as  he  raised  it 
above  his  head.  By  its  momentary  glare  I 
traced  the  woolly  crown  and  gained  a  partial 
view  of  the  dusky  countenance  as  he  thrust  it 


THE  BLACKNESS  OF  DARKNESS  283 

forward  and  in  a  crouching  posture  peered  in- 
tently here  and  there.  He  took  several  steps 
along  the  side  of  the  stream,  slowly  circling  the 
point  of  yellow  light  above  and  in  front  of  his 
head,  until  it  dropped  at  his  feet  and  flickered 
out  in  darkness. 

The  next  bit  of  flame  showed  him  a  rod  far- 
ther off.  The  shrewd  fellow  had  moved  to  the 
edge  of  the  field  of  vision  before  lighting  his 
second  match.  He  now  repeated  the  act,  using 
the  tiny  stick  until  it  was  burned  close  to  his 
fingers,  when  he  dropped  it.  Then  the  third 
match  came  into  play  like  the  others.  This  was 
the  last  and  when  it  expired  I  called : 
"How  did  you  make  out,  Casca?" 
"Didn't  find  a  blamed  ting!"  was  his  dis- 
gusted reply. 

"Wait  where  you  are  till  I  try  my  hand." 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  result 
in  my  case  was  precisely  the  same  as  in  his. 
The  interior  of  the  immense  cavern  was  com- 
posed of  rocks,  dirt  and  the  flowing  stream.  It 
seemed  the  acme  of  absurdity  that  I  had  ever 
supposed  it  could  be  otherwise.  In  what  pos- 
sible way  could  anything  in  the  nature  of  wood 
have  entered  the  place?  The  only  way  must 
have  been  through  some  one  carrying  it  thither, 


284  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

and  it  was  not  conceivable  that  such  a  thing 
had  ever  been  done. 

"I  have  a  few  matches  left,"  I  said,  exclud- 
ing, so  far  as  I  could,  the  feeling  of  despair 
from  my  tones;  "and  we  will  save  them  for 
some  future  emergency." 

"Dat  am  so,"  was  the  philosophical  com- 
ment of  Casca,  who  had  returned  to  my  side; 
* '  dar  7s  only  one  ting  for  us  to  do. ' ' 

"I  shall  be  glad  to  know  what  it  is." 

' '  Sot  down  and  tink  ober  tings. ? ' 

Little  promise  in  that,  but  the  sturdy  fellow 
coolly  seated  himself  on  the  soft  earth,  where 
he  could  rest  his  shoulders  against  one  of  the 
boulders  or  rocks  which  were  everywhere,  and, 
for  nothing  better  to  do,  I  did  the  same. 

The  temperature  within  the  cavern  was  equa- 
ble and  pleasant.  We  were  far  enough  below 
the  surface  to  be  beyond  reach  of  the  tropical 
atmosphere  above,  the  flowing  water  doubtless 
adding  to  the  natural  coolness.  Whatever  was 
in  store  for  us,  we  could  never  suffer  because  of 
heat  or  cold,  for  no  change  at  most  could  have 
been  more  than  a  few  degrees.  That  phase  of 
the  subject  therefore  may  be  dismissed. 

It  has  been  said  that  nothing  was  to  be  feared 
from  the  Tobas  through  their  forcing  an  en- 
trance into  our  refuge.  As  I  sat  beside  my 


THE  BLACKNESS  OF  DARKNESS  285 

friend  I  could  not  help  wishing  they  would  thus 
invade  our  retreat,  for  it  would  precipitate  the 
issue,  while  we  were  in  the  full  possession  of 
our  strength  and  faculties.  I  had  cast  aside 
nay  spear  as  an  incumbrance,  but  Casca  took 
care  to  retain  his.  With  its  poisoned  tip  it 
must  prove  a  formidable  weapon  in  any  strug- 
gle with  our  enemies.  The  reeds  to  which  the 
sharpened  points  were  fixed  were  so  weak  that 
they  would  have  snapped  like  pipe  stems  had  we 
tried  to  use  them  as  levers. 

' i  My  spear  would  be  a  handicap, ' '  I  reflected, 
"for  I  am  unaccustomed  to  handling  it,  and  my 
enemies  would  make  a  sieve  of  me  before  I 
could  bring  it  into  play,  but  so  long  as  I  have 
enough  cartridges  at  command,  I  shall  be  able 
to  give  a  good  account  of  myself.  Casca  may 
keep  to  his  spear,  for  he  knows  how  to  use  it, 
and  I  will  cling  to  my  revolver,  for  it  will  not 
fail  me  in  a  pinch. ' ' 

Not  the  least  impressive  feature  of  our  im- 
prisonment was  the  profound  silence  that 
wrapped  us  about  as  with  a  mantle.  The  soft 
flow  of  the  stream  at  our  feet  seemed  to  add  to 
the  stillness.  A  squadron  of  cavalry  might 
have  galloped  over  our  heads,  without  any  dis- 
turbance coming  to  our  ears.  Darkness,  silence, 
— such  was  the  world  in  which  we  sat  and 


286  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

breathed  and  vainly  thought  of  some  way  out  of 
our  dungeon. 

Suddenly  a  familiar  sound  fell  upon  my  ears. 
My  companion  was  sleeping  as  soundly  as  in 
his  bed  in  far  away  Alabama. 

6 '  Strange  that  he  can  slumber  at  such  a  time 
as  this, ' '  I  said  to  myself ;  ' '  nothing  of  the  kind 
can  come  to  me  for  a  long,  long  while. ' 9 

Ten  minutes  later,  I  joined  Casca  in  the  land 
of  dreams. 

Probably  we  slept  a  couple  of  hours.  Both 
were  in  need  of  rest,  and  no  one  can  fight  off 
nature's  demand  for  recuperation.  It  so  hap- 
pened that  we  regained  consciousness  at  the 
same  moment.  I  could  not  help  smiling  over 
what  had  taken  place. 

"Gracious  alive!"  I  exclaimed,  "but  I  am 
hungry. ' ' 

"All  right,"  was  the  cheerful  response; 
"let's  git  sumfin  to  eat." 

I  supposed  the  words  were  a  grim  jest  on  his 
part,  but  quickly  learned  he  was  in  earnest. 

"How  many  matches  hab  yo'  left?"  he  asked. 

"Not  many;  why  do  you  ask?" 

"Light  one  and  hold  it  close  to  de  side  ob  de 
water,  and  afore  it  goes  out  light  anoder  and 
den  anoder,  till  I  tole  yo'  to  stop." 

Suspecting  his  purpose,  I  did  as  requested. 


Plunged  the  point  of  his  weapon  into  the  watero 


THE  BLACKNESS  OF  DARKNESS  287 

As  the  little  flame  lit  up  the  gloom  the  African 
was  revealed  at  my  side,  crouching  low,  with 
his  spear  tightly  grasped  in  both  hands.  Care- 
fully following  his  directions,  I  peered  into  the 
crystal  depths  of  the  underground  river. 

It  is  well  known  that  a  fire  kindled  at  night 
on  the  bank  of  a  stream  will  draw  fish  toward  it. 
That  is  what  we  were  trying  to  do.  Seeing 
none  for  a  few  minutes,  though  I  kept  the  tiny 
flame  going,  I  said: 

"I'm  afraid  we  can  accomplish  nothing, 
Casca " 

At  that  instant  he  made  a  step  forward,  and 
with  incredible  quickness  plunged  the  point  of 
his  weapon  into  the  water,  caught  a  fish  on  the 
end,  and  flirted  it  behind  him  on  the  ground 
back  of  us.  He  had  succeeded  better  than  I 
dreamed  it  possible  for  him  to  do. 

Placing  his  bare  foot  on  the  prize,  he  made 
sure  it  could  not  flap  back  into  the  stream,  and 
said: 

"Let's  got  all  we  kin." 

With  heart  throbbing  with  hope,  I  lit  match 
after  match,  while  the  fellow  was  alert  for  a 
second  thrust  of  his  weapon.  Once  or  twice  he 
caught  a  flicker  in  the  water  and  started  to 
strike,  but  the  fish  whisked  out  of  reach,  and  he 
waited  for  a  better  chance.  It  seemed,  how- 


288  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

ever,  as  if  the  fate  of  the  first  had  frightened 
the  others  and  they  were  shyer  than  at  the  be- 
ginning. 

The  end  came  sooner  than  either  anticipated. 
' '  This  is  my  last  match,  Casca. ' ' 
* '  All  right ;  I  '11  make  a  try  dis  time. 9 ' 
When  the  bit  of  flame  was  scorching  my  fin- 
gers, he  gave  a  vicious  stab  with  his  spear  and 
swung  it  backward.     He  had  speared  a  fish, 
but  it  slipped  off  the  primitive  hook  and  fell 
into  the  water  beyond  reach. 

"We's  got  de  oder  one  suah,"  was  his  com- 
ment, as  he  picked  it  from  the  ground  and  pro- 
ceeded to  prepare  it  for  our  meal.  This  was 
simple  enough,  for  all  he  could  do  was  to  slit 
it  open  and  remove  the  insides.  Cooking  was 
out  of  the  question,  and,  had  we  been  able  to 
broil  it  over  live  coals,  it  could  not  have  tasted 
better  than  it  did.  I  have  no  idea  of  the  species 
to  which  it  belonged.  In  form  and  general  ap- 
pearance it  resembled  a  pickerel,  though  it  is 
not  to  be  supposed  it.  was  one.  The  flesh  was 
quite  tender,  and  it  must  have  weighed  nearly 
two  pounds  before  dressing.  We  ate  every 
particle  and  our  hunger  was  fully  satisfied  for 
the  time  being. 

But,  feeling  our  strength  renewed,  neither 
could  shut  out  the  knowledge  of  the  woeful 


THE  BLACKNESS  OF  DARKNESS  289 

prospect  before  us.  We  were  shut  in  the  cav- 
ern beyond  all  possibility  of  forcing  our  way 
out,  for  it  may  be  doubted  whether  a  dozen  men 
in  our  situation  would  have  been  able  to  roll 
away  the  stone  from  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre. 
We  had  abandoned  hope  in  that  direction  long 
before,  and  were  compelled  to  face  the  dreadful 
outlook. 

Suppose  I  had  been  in  possession  of  a  gross 
of  boxes  of  matches,  or  that  there  had  been  an 
abundance  of  fuel  with  which  to  attract  the  fish 
of  the  underground  river  within  reach  of  Cas- 
ca's  spear.  The  time  must  come  sooner  or 
later,  when  the  supply  would  give  out,  and  we 
should  remain  imprisoned  as  securely  as  before. 

Although  the  African  had  impaled  our  fish  on 
the  point  of  his  poisoned  spear,  no  harm  could 
result  from  our  swallowing  the  flesh.  It  is 
known  that  the  venom  of  the  rattlesnake  causes 
no  inconvenience  when  swallowed,  it  being  in- 
nocuous unless  it  enters  a  wound  or  comes  in  di- 
rect contact  with  the  blood.  I  did  not  need 
Casca's  assurance  on  this  point,  and  no  un- 
pleasant results  followed  the  last  meal  we  were 
destined  to  eat  in  the  cavern.  In  fact,  I  hardly 
gave  the  matter  a  thought, 

We  sat  for  fully  an  hour  without  either  mov- 
ing or  speaking  a  word.  There  could  be  no 

19 


290  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

doubt  that  the  African  was  doing  the  thinking 
of  which  he  had  spoken.  Certainly  such  was 
my  occupation,  and  it  brought  not  the  first 
glimmer  of  hope  to  me. 

"We  may  as  well  make  up  our  minds,  Casca, 
that  it  is  all  over  with  us,"  I  said,  with  a  deep 
sigh;  "we  have  put  up  the  best  fight  any  one 
could  make  in  the  circumstances,  and  it  only  re- 
mains to  meet  our  fate  bravely ;  I  am  sorry  that 
it  will  be  long  drawn  out.  If  it  would  only  come 
and  be  over  in  a  few  minutes,  it  would  be  far 
easier  to  bear. ' ' 

The  African's  reply  to  this  remark  was  as 
characteristic  as  astonishing.  He  rose  slowly 
to  his  feet,  and  sang  in  his  rich,  musical  voice : 

"  'Alabama  agin!  Alabama  agin! 
Ef  I  lib  till  de  sun  shines  tomorrer, 
I'll  go  back  to  Alabama  agin!'  " 

Then,  incredible  as  it  may  seem,  he  executed 
his  double  shuffle,  sending  the  dirt  flying  in  all 
directions,  some  of  the  particles  striking  against 
me.  He  suddenly  ceased  with  a  resounding 
slap  of  one  of  his  feet  on  the  ground,  after  the 
manner  of  professional  dancers,  and  astounded 
me  by  exclaiming : 

"Ise  found  de  way,  boss!  we's  gwine  to  leab 
dis  blamed  place  in  a  hurry!" 


CHAPTEE  XXVII 

THE  LAST  RECOURSE 

MY  FIEST  belief  was  that  my  comrade  had 
gone  daft,  but  no  African  ever  became 
insane  in  circumstances  like  those  de- 
scribed.    Whether  he  was  the  victim  of  some 
strange  fallacy  or  not,  he  was  in  earnest  and  in 
the  possession  of  his  faculties. 

"Ise  found  a  way,  suah  as  yo's  born,"  he 
added;  "while  I  was  tinking  I  done  some  big 
prayin'  and  de  good  Lawd  showed  me  de  path." 
"For  heaven's  sake  tell  me  what  it  is,  Casca." 
He  did  so  in  his  characteristic  manner : 
"Dis  riber  comes  into  de  cavern  up  yonder 
and  it  goes  out  somewhar  below;  we'll  take  a 
big  dive  and  swim  to  de  p  'int  whar  it  busts  out 
into  de  open  kentry." 

Why  had  I  not  thought  of  this  before?  It 
would  seem  that  it  should  have  occurred  to 
both  of  us  at  the  same  moment,  and  soon  after 
entering  the  cavern.  Probably  it  never  would 
have  come  to  me  at  all.  The  whole  credit  be- 
longed to  my  companion. 

291 


292  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

And  then,  seated  on  the  ground  we  discussed 
the  momentous  question  in  all  its  bearings. 
Casca  did  not  know  at  what  point  the  stream 
emerged  into  the  open,  but  it  must  do  so  some- 
where. When  he  partially  explored  the  place 
with  Chief  Zip-wip-na  and  came  out  again,  he 
gave  no  attention  to  the  matter  in  which  we 
were  now  so  profoundly  interested.  He  knew 
the  stream  wound  among  the  hills  within  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile,  and  we  hoped  the  outer  air  would 
be  reached  much  nearer  the  cavern  than  that. 
If  not,  we  were  certain  to  be  drowned.  Indeed, 
it  would  not  take  many  rods  of  submarine  trav- 
eling to  finish  us. 

The  current  was  quite  powerful  and  the  depth 
as  has  been  shown,  was  several  feet.  If  it 
emerged  into  the  open  air,  fifty  or  possibly  a 
few  more  yards  away  from  where  it  dipped 
under  the  mountain  wall,  there  was  a  fair 
chance  of  our  making  the  voyage  successfully. 
If  the  underground  flow  continued  much  farther, 
we  were  doomed.  The  question  could  only  be 
settled  by  actual  trial. 

Moreover,  it  seemed  more  than  likely  that  we 
would  encounter  obstructions  in  the  form  of  ob- 
truding rocks,  while  gliding  down  stream  under 
the  surface.  A  stunning  blow,  or  check  for 
only  a  few  moments  must  be  as  fatal  as  a  dozen 


THE  LAST  RECOURSE  293 

poisoned  spear-thrusts.  The  possibility,  how- 
ever, of  a  successful  "shooting  of  the  chutes" 
made  both  eager  for  the  trial,  but  I  was  re- 
solved that  every  precaution  should  be  taken. 

6 '  One  of  us  will  go  first,  keeping  as  near  the 
middle  of  the  current  as  he  can,  for  it  is  there 
we  shall  be  less  likely  to  meet  with  obstructions. 
How  shall  we  know  whether  the  first  one  has 
succeeded?" 

"I'll  go  fust,"  said  Casca,  "but  when  I  got 
out  on  de  oder  side,  I  doan'  see  how  Ise  agwine 
to  tole  yo'.  If  I  yells,  yo'  can't  hear  me  and 
de  blasted  Tobas  will,  for  dey  wont  be  wery 
fur  off." 

"Give  yourself  no  uneasiness  on  that  score; 
if  you  wish,  you  may  make  the  first  venture,  and 
I'll  follow  a  few  minutes  later;  there's  no  use 
of  speculating  and  guessing;  each  has  got  to 
take  his  chance ;  if  we  fail,  it  will  be  preferable 
to  a  lingering  death  in  this  horrible  place.  Let 
me  suggest,  Casca,  that  it  will  be  safer  for  you 
to  float  down  feet  first. ' ' 

"  Wharf ur?" 

"It  will  injure  you  less  to  strike  a  rock  with 
your  feet  than  with  your  head. ' ' 

The  fellow  chuckled. 

"Dat  may  be  de  way  wid  yo',  boss,  but  not 
wid  dis  chile ;  if  dar 's  any  rocks  to  run  aginst,  I 


294  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

wants  to  soak  'em  wid  iny  head ;  shouldn  't  won- 
der if  I  could  knock  'em  loose  so  as  to  cl  'ar  de 
path  for  yo  'self. ' ' 

"Have  it  your  own  way,  but  I  can't  believe 
your  skull  is  as  thick  as  you  pretend. ' ' 

"We  now  groped  forward  along  the  side  of  the 
underground  river,  until  we  came  to  the  per- 
pendicular wall  under  which  it  swept,  without 
an  inch  of  space  between  its  surface  and  the 
rocky  roof.  Here  it  narrowed  somewhat,  and 
the  current  had  a  perceptibly  quicker  flow, 
which  perhaps  promised  better  than  if  it  had 
been  otherwise. 

We  were  both  so  anxious  for  the  attempt  that 
we  did  not  linger  with  our  farewells.  It  would 
seem  that  it  was  a  time  for  sentiment,  for  it  was 
quite  probable  the  parting  was  to  be  our  final 
one,  but  we  were  not  in  the  mood  for  ' '  gush. ' ' 

"You  intend  to  wade  out  as  near  to  the  mid- 
dle of  the  stream  as  you  can,"  I  said,  as  we 
stood  on  the  spot  named ;  ' '  then  to  drop  under 
the  surface  and  float  down  head  foremost." 

"Dat's  de  idee  and  yo'  won't  be  long  ahind 
me?" 

"I  certainly  shall  not  linger  after  giving  you 
a  chance  to  make  the  voyage  and  to  get  out  of 
my  way.  Well,  good-by,  Casca;  God  be  with 
you  and  with  both  of  us!" 


THE  LAST  RECOURSE  295 

We  grasped  hands  in  the  darkness  and  there 
was  a  tremor  in  the  brave  fellow's  voice  as  he 
replied  : 

"De  same  to  yo'self ;  take  in  a  bref  dat  will 
fill  yo'  down  to  yo'  heels,  jes'  as  yo'  goes  under, 
and  den  doan'  breathe  agin  for  half  an  hour,  on- 
less  yo'  finds  yo'  hab  reached  de  air  whar  de 
trouble  am  ober. ' ' 

Although  our  eyes  were  not  of  the  slightest 
help,  I  knew  he  had  entered  the  underground 
river.  The  gentle  gurgling  where  it  dipped 
under  the  rocks  prevented  me  from  hearing  the 
slight  splash  made  by  him.  A  minute  later,  I 
called  his  name,  but  there  was  no  reply.  He 
was  gone. 

' i  God  be  with  him ! ' '  was  my  fervent  prayer ; 
"he  deserves  success,  and  God  have  me  in  his 
keeping,  for  I  am  close  to  death  or  to  a  happy 
issue  out  of  my  perils." 

My  revolver  was  thrust  into  my  hip  pocket. 
The  submergence  would  not  wet  the  charges  in 
the  chambers,  nor  moisten  the  metal  cartridges 
in  my  belt.  It  has  been  said  that  my  spear  was 
discarded  some  time  before,  so  that  my  hands 
were  as  free  as  my  feet.  But  when  I  once  sur- 
rendered to  the  sweep  of  the  current  I  should 
be  as  helpless  as  a  balloon  in  a  hurricane. 


296  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

After  the  first  plunge  there  could  be  no  return : 
I  must  sweep  onward  to  life — or  to  death. 

Carefully  feeling  each  step,  I  waded  out  until 
I  judged  I  was  near  the  middle  of  the  stream. 
There  the  water  rose  a  little  above  my  waist, 
and  the  rush  was  so  strong  that  it  was  with 
difficulty  I  kept  my  feet,  till  I  reached  up  and 
rested  my  hands  against  the  dripping  wall 
which  pressed  upon  the  top  of  the  stream. 
Thus  braced,  it  was  easy  to  maintain  my  posi- 
tion. Then  I  spent  several  minutes  in  earnest 
prayer,  for  when  Death  brandishes  his  spear  in 
one's  face,  there  is  but  the  single  Source  to 
which  he  can  appeal.  Then,  expanding  my 
lungs  to  their  utmost,  I  threw  myself  on  my 
back,  head  up  stream  and  shot  under  the  moun- 
tain wall. 

There  was  no  way  of  reckoning  time.  Al- 
though it  seemed  a  number  of  minutes  were 
occupied  in  that  fearful  passage,  of  necessity  it 
could  have  been  only  a  few  seconds.  For  a 
space  I  went  as  smoothly  as  when  a  boy  I  dives 
and  swims  for  several  rods  beneath  the  surface 
of  the  mill  pond  at  home.  Then  my  natural 
buoyancy  brought  me  up  and  my  face  scraped 
along  the  rocks  above,  until  through  fear  of 
serious  injury  I  forced  myself  under  again. 

The  next  shock  was  when  my  right  foot  came 


THE  LAST  RECOURSE  297 

in  contact  with  the  point  of  an  obtruding  rock. 
The  impact  caused  me  to  slew  around,  and,  al- 
though I  prevented  myself  from  being  stopped, 
I  was  floating  sideways,  with  the  prospect  that 
my  posture  would  quickly  change  to  that  of  my 
friend  who  had  preceded  me.  I  fought  desper- 
ately to  prevent  it,  and  a  peculiar  ringing, 
shrinking  sensation  thrilled  my  brain,  such  as 
one  feels  when  cringing  before  an  expected 
blow.  I  locked  my  hands  above  my  crown,  so 
as  to  interpose  them  as  a  shield,  and  held  my 
lips  tightly  closed,  until  it  seemed  the  distended 
blood  vessels  must  burst. 

Frightfully  soon  the  crisis  came  when  I  must 
have  air  or  perish.  I  flung  up  my  hands,  and 
blissful  fact!  they  impinged  against  nothing; 
unable  to  hold  back  my  terrific  yearning,  I 
parted  my  lips  and  drew  in — blessed,  life-giving 
air! 

Then  I  opened  my  eyes  and  saw  the  stars 
twinkling  overhead.  On  the  right  and  left  the 
rocky  walls  of  the  stream  were  outlined  in  the 
gloom,  and  I  was  swiftly  sleeping  downward, — 
who  could  say  whither? 

The  river  was  much  straiter  and  I  dropped 
my  feet.  They  touched  the  flinty  bottom,  but 
I  was  unable  to  sustain  myself.  Two  powerful 
strokes  swept  me  nearer  the  right  bank,  and, 


298  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

when  I  dropped  my  feet  again,  the  depth  was  so 
shallow  that  I  made  my  way  to  shore  without 
difficulty.  There  I  sat  down  on  the  rocks,  and, 
if  ever  a  man  gave  heartfelt  thanks  to  heaven 
for  its  mercy  I  was  that  man,  for  all  I  had  un- 
dergone was  a  wetting,  which  was  by  no  means 
unpleasant.  The  slight  scraping  of  my  face 
amounted  to  nothing,  and  I  had  suffered  no 
harm  whatever. 

Naturally  my  next  thought  was  of  Casca 
Jones.  Where  I  had  been  so  fortunate,  it  was 
reasonable  to  believe  he  had  done  equally  well. 
Since  the  Tobas  could  not  be  at  any  great  dis- 
tance, it  would  not  do  to  call  his  name,  but,  if 
he  had  passed  safely  through  the  tunnel  he 
would  be  on  the  lookout  for  me,  and  ought  to  be 
near  at  hand. 

So  it  proved.  He  had  landed  a -little  way 
above,  but  his  keen  eyes  observed  me  as  I  came 
ashore,  and  he  quickly  reached  the  spot. 

"I  knowed  it  went  all  right  wid  yo  V '  said  the 
happy  fellow. 

"How  could  you  know  that?"  I  asked,  as  I 
took  his  hand. 

."  'Cause  I  sailed  down  stream  befoah  yo'  wid 
my  head  in  front ;  dat  knocked  eberyting  out  ob 
de  road  and  made  a  cPar  passage  for  yo'self." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

"ALABAMA  AGIN!" 

CASCA  agreed  with  me  that  the  Tobas  were 
at  no  great  distance,  for  we  certainly 
were  not  far  from  the  month  of  the  tun- 
nel,  which  they  had  blocked  with  the  boulder. 
Knowing  there  was  no  escape  for  us  there,  it 
was  not  unlikely  that  some  of  them  had  scat- 
tered, and  were  engaged  at  that  very  time  in 
searching  for  a  rear  entrance  to  the  prison. 
The  one  thing  for  us  to  do  was  to  get  as  far 
from  the  spot  as  we  could,  and  with  the  least 
possible  delay.  It  would  not  do  for  the  Afri- 
can to  come  in  contact  with  any  of  the  wild 
men,  for,  since  they  had  learned  from  his  own 
lips  of  the  part  he  had  played,  he  would  be 
subjected  to  tortures  too  appalling  to  be  thought 
of  without  a  shudder. 

And  yet  only  one  thing  prevented  the  daring 
fellow  from  attempting  to  steal  a  couple  of 
horses  from  the  Tobas.  The  animals  were 
grazing  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
he  was  confident  he  could  abstract  them  without 

299 


300  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

great  risk  to  himself.  I  strongly  suspect  he 
would  have  been  glad  to  collide  with  several, 
for,  as  he  told  me  afterward,  he  had  a  score 
which  he  longed  to  wipe  out.  Although  he  had 
wasted  three  years  among  these  strange  people 
and  had  disarmed  all  suspicion  against  himself, 
there  were  several  who  had  persecuted  and 
made  him  suffer  without  apparent  excuse,  un- 
less it  may  have  been  they  felt  he  represented, 
despite  his  color,  the  race  which  they  all  hated 
with  inconceivable  hatred. 

The  one  self-evident  fact  that  restrained  the 
African  was  that  even  if  he  succeeded  in  run- 
ning off  two  of  the  Toba  horses,  they  would  be 
a  hindrance  instead  of  a  help  to  us.  There  was 
no  trail  by  which  they  could  make  their  way 
through  the  mountains.  That  must  be  done  by 
us  on  foot,  and  we  set  out  without  delay.  Casca 
took  the  lead,  because  of  his  knowledge  of  the 
country  and  of  the  people  whom  we  must  shun. 

He  had  brought  his  spear  through  the  under- 
ground passage  and  said  it  was  as  good  as  ever. 
In  fact,  he  would  be  sorry  if  he  should  have  to 
leave  the  country  without  testing  it  upon  some 
of  the  "varmints"  who  had  made  his  life  a 
burden  for  so  long. 

It  was  past  midnight  when  we  made  our  es- 
cape from  the  cavern.  There  was  the  best  rea- 


"  ALABAMA  AGIN ! "  301 

son  for  believing  the  Tobas  would  not  learn  of 
our  flight  for  several  days,  if  they  did  even  then. 
The  possibility  of  accidental  discovery  existed, 
however,  and  caused  the  utmost  care  on  our 
part  during  the  hours  that  we  climbed  and 
plodded  and  picked  our  course  through  the  dis- 
mal region. 

The  time  came  when  we  arrived  at  a  point  so 
far  removed  from  the  cavern  that  we  could  halt 
for  consultation,  without  any  fear  of  a  descent 
by  the  Tobas.  It  was  evident  that  only  an  hour 
or  two  of  darkness  remained.  Our  belief  was 
that  in  the  interval  we  should  be  able  to  ap- 
proach close  to  the  eastern  boundary  of  hills, 
when  we  expected  to  reach  the  pampas  again. 
Casca  had  never  been  as  far  even  as  the  place 
already  attained  by  us,  and  therefore  knew  no 
more  of  the  configuration  of  the  country  than 
I.  Whatever  we  learned  must  be  through  ob- 
servation. 

"It  seems  to  me,"  said  I,  "that  the  safer 
course  is  to  keep  on  in  the  direction  we  are  fol- 
lowing until  daylight,  and  then  to  lie  by  till 
night." 

"  Wharf ur?" 

"If  the  Tobas  learn  of  our  flight,  as  they  may 
do,  they  will  try  to  follow  us ;  we  shall  have  no 
chance,  if  they  catch  us  on  the  open  plain,  where 


302  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

we  shall  be  without  shelter  and  they  can  ride  us 
down.  We  ought  to  be  able  to  hide  our  foot- 
prints among  these  rocks  where  we  can  travel 
for  rods  without  leaving  the  slightest  sign. 
When  it  is  dark  again,  we  will  start  out  on  the 
plain  and  keep  it  up  throughout  the  night.  By 
that  time,  we  ought  to  be  twenty  or  thirty  miles 
from  here  and  so  far  in  advance  of  them  that 
they  will  have  little  chance  of  running  us 
down." 

In  the  stargleam  I  could  make  out  the  dusky 
face  close  to  my  elbow,  as  the  African  studied 
my  countenance  with  a  curious  expression.  I 
waited  for  him  to  speak. 

"Do  yo'  know,  boss,  what  I'm  thinkin' 
about?" 

"I  haven't  the  slightest  idea." 

"  Yo'  aint  as  big  a  fool  as  yo'  look  to  be." 

And  he  shook  and  chortled  with  mirth.  I 
could  take  no  offence  with  the  brave  fellow,  who 
had  done  me  the  best  service  in  his  power.  I 
laughed  also  and  replied: 

"That's  the  difference  between  you  and  me, 
but  what  do  you  think  of  my  plan?" 

"It  am  de  bestest  in  de  world,"  was  his  em- 
phatic comment. 

It  was  followed  as  outlined.  As  we  labored 
through  the  rocky  region,  our  chief  effort,  while 


"  ALABAMA  AGIN ! "  303 

maintaining  the  general  direction,  was  to  avoid 
stepping  on  the  ground,  and  to  make  the  in- 
visible trail  as  sinuous  as  possible.  I  am  sure 
that  a  Sioux  Indian  would  have  found  it  impos- 
sible to  follow  us  with  the  sun  shining  overhead. 
It  must  be  remembered,  too,  that  there  was  lit- 
tle likelihood  of  the  Tobas  learning  of  our  flight 
from  the  cavern. 

When  the  eastern  horizon  grew  rosy,  we 
sought  a  place  among  the  rocks  where,  if  driven 
to  the  wall,  we  could  put  up  a  stout  defence. 
We  were  pretty  well  tired  out,  and  having 
agreed  upon  the  refuge,  we  lay  down  and  slept 
for  several  hours. 

Casca  awoke  long  before  I  did.  When  I 
opened  my  eyes,  he  was  returning  with  a  meal 
of  fruit,  which,  as  I  have  shown,  was  plentiful 
in  that  remarkable  region.  Water  was  near,  so 
that,  barring  a  certain  degree  of  anxiety,  our 
situation  was  as  comfortable  as  we  could  ask. 
I  depended  upon  my  companion  to  keep  a  look- 
out, since  he  was  more  familiar  with  the  ways 
of  the  Tobas.  At  nightfall,  he  reported  that  he 
had  not  been  able  to  discover  the  first  sign  of 
them  among  the  hills.  The  conclusion  was  rea- 
sonable that  they,  with  such  reinforcements  as 
might  have  reached  them,  were  still  awaiting  the 
crisis  at  the  mouth  of  the  cavern. 


304:  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

We  set  out  in  high  spirits,  and  kept  up  our 
laborious  tramp  throughout  the  long  hours  of 
darkness.  Before  morning  came,  we  reached 
and  passed  the  eastern  limit  of  the  mountainous 
district,  and  began  our  journey  across  the 
grassy  pampas  toward  the  Paraguay,  which 
flowed  at  an  uncertain  distance  in  front  of  us. 
Casca  was  sure  the  Tobas  rarely  or  never  pene- 
trated thus  far  from  their  hunting  grounds,  and 
the  prospect  of  disturbance  from  them  grew  less 
with  every  passing  hour.  Because  of  this,  we 
decided  after  a  rest  and  meal,  to  resume  our 
tramp  and  to  keep  it  up  until  wearied  out. 

It  would  be  tedious  were  I  to  dwell  upon  the 
particulars  of  the  remainder  of  our  journey. 
We  had  crossed  the  zone  of  danger,  and  never 
saw  anything  more  of  the  dreaded  Tobas.  We 
were  plodding  forward  on  the  fourth  day,  when 
late  in  the  afternoon,  Casca  uttered  a  joyous 
exclamation. 

"What  is  it?"  I  asked,  looking  up  in  surprise. 

"Doan*  yo'  saw  it?"  he  asked  in  turn,  extend- 
ing his  dmbby  finger  to  the  eastward. 

Strange  that  neither  of  us  had  observed  it  be- 
fore, for  only  a  mile  away,  in  plain  sight,  a 
broad,  gleaming  river  was  flowing  calmly  south- 
ward. 


"  ALABAMA  AGIN !  "  305 

' '  Thank  heaven ! "  I  exclaimed ;  "  it  is  the 
Paraguay. ' ' 

There  was  no  doubt  of  it  A  schooner  with 
all  sails  spread  was  passing  down  stream  and  a 
half  mile  behind  it,  a  small  vessel  of  similar 
pattern  was  coming  around  a  bend,  while  some 
distance  to  the  south  a  small  steamer  was  puff- 
ing into  view. 

"That's  the  boat  for  us!"  I  added,  and  both 
of  us  increased  our  pace.  Before  we  could 
reach  the  bank  of  the  river,  the  steamer  was 
almost  abreast  of  us.  Casca  and  I  fired  our 
pistols  in  air,  and,  swinging  my  hat  over  my 
head,  I  shouted  and  broke  into  a  run.  We 
should  have  attracted  little  or  no  attention,  but 
for  another  fact  which  speedily  came  to  light. 
The  steamer's  puffs  ceased  and  the  screw  was 
kept  moving  just  enough  to  hold  her  stationary 
in  mid  channel.  That,  which  sent  a  thrilling 
tingle  through  my  veins  was  the  sight-  of  the 
Stars  and  Stripes  fluttering  from  the  fore.  No 
one  who  has  not  been  in  a  situation  similar  to 
ours  can  appreciate  the  emotions  of  a  man  when 
he  gazes  upon  that  flag,  the  most  beautiful  ever 
patterned  by  the  ingenuity  of  man,  waving  in 
the  breeze  before  him.  Casca  and  I  broke  into 
a  faster  run,  at  sight  of  a  small  boat  putting 


306  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

out  from  the  side  of  the  larger  one  to  take  us 
aboard. 

We  had  hardly  entered  the  lesser  craft  when 
I  heard  a  cheer  from  the  deck  of  the  steamer. 
Peering  across  the  comparatively  slight  dis- 
tance, I  saw  a  man  standing  just  beside  the  pilot 
house,  waving  his  hat  and  calling  me  by  name. 

Could  it  be  possible?  Yes;  there  was  no 
doubt  of  it.  That  individual  was  my  old  com- 
rade Percy  Higgenbottom,  of  whose  fate  I  knew 
nothing  until  that  minute.  It  was  the  New  Eng- 
lander  himself  who,  leaning  over  the  gunwale, 
seized  my  hand  and  almost  dragged  me  aboard, 
where,  as  you  may  suppose,  the  meeting  was  of 
the  most  happy  nature. 

A  few  words  explained  the  presence  of  Casca 
with  me,  and  he  received  a  welcome  that  tickled 
the  cockles  of  his  heart,  but  Captain  Collins 
speedily  suggested  that  it  was  advisable  that  he 
be  furnished  with  enough  clothing  to  show  a 
proper  regard  for  decency.  The  grinning  fel- 
low was  taken  forward,  where  after  a  time,  he 
was  fitted  out  with  something  after  the  order  of 
civilization.  The  only  trouble  was  with  the 
shoes,  for  there  was  none  on  the  boat  sufficiently 
large  to  cover  his  feet,  which,  naturally  of  gen- 
erous proportions,  had  become  still  more  so, 
during  his  residence  among  the  Tobas. 


"  ALABAMA  AGIN ! "  307 

The  steamer  Neptune  was  in  charge  of  Cap- 
tain Ephraim  Collins  of  Salem,  Massachusetts. 
He  had  been  on  a  trading  voyage  into  Brazil, 
and  was  now  on  his  way  to  the  Eio  de  la  Plata, 
whence  he  intended  to  return  to  Savannah  and 
thence  to  Boston.  He  expressed  himself  as 
more  than  willing  to  take  me  to  Concepcion,  or 
as  far  as  I  wished  to  go.  Furthermore,  when 
he  learned  that  Casca  had  once  served  as  a  cook 
on  a  vessel,  he  offered  to  give  him  employment 
in  the  same  capacity  on  the  Neptune.  It  was 
to  be  expected  that  he  was  somewhat  rusty  in 
his  calling,  but  his  physique  was  so  powerful 
that  he  could  be  utilized  in  other  directions. 
When  the  steamer  paused  at  Savannah  on  her 
homeward  voyage,  the  jolly  African  would  be  so 
near  his  beloved  Alabama  and  his  friends,  that 
with  the  wages  then  due  him,  he  could  appear  at 
his  old  home  in  appropriate  and  impressive 
style. 

Sitting  on  the  upper  deck,  where  the  cool 
breeze  fanned  our  faces,  Higgenbottom  and  I 
smoked  our  cigars  and  exchanged  experiences. 
When  my  story  was  finished,  he  said : 

"The  most  curious  part  of  this  business  is 
that  what  I  passed  through  was  so  similar  to 
what  befell  you  at  the  beginning.  You  know 
after  that  affair  at  the  butte,  we  had  no  chance 


308  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

to  arrange  matters  or  to  come  to  any  sort  of 
understanding.  It  was  each  for  himself  with 
little  show  for  either.  When  I  suddenly  got  a 
chance  to  mount  a  horse,  I  bounded  upon  his 
back  and  scooted  off  in  the  darkness  without  a 
thought  of  the  direction.  The  great  thing  was 
to  secure  a  start  and  that  was  what  both  of  us 
gained. 

"When  morning  came  I  was  beyond  sight  of 
the  Tobas,  but  I  found  my  horse  had  been  fol- 
lowing a  wrong  course  and  I  was  farther  from 
Paraguay  than  at  the  beginning.  I  set  myself 
straight  by  means  of  my  compass  and  kept  it  up 
until  my  horse  collapsed  and  I  was  that  tired 
that  I  could  hardly  keep  my  eyes  open.  Twice 
I  saw  parties  of  Tobas,  but  avoided  them  and 
at  night  when  I  entered  a  grove,  the  same  as 
you  did,  I  came  within  a  hair  of  being  squeezed 
to  death  by  a  constrictor  which  so  terrified  my 
pony  that  he  dashed  off  and  I  never  saw  him 
again. 

"The  next  piece  of  ill  luck  was  the  loss  of  my 
compass.  It  slipped  off  my  watch  chain  and 
there  was  no  use  of  searching  for  it.  After  that 
I  made  my  own  calculations  and  pushed  on  as 
best  I  could,  but  with  all  my  care,  I  continually 
went  astray  until  I  managed  to  reach  the  Para- 


"  ALABAMA  AGIN !  "  309 

guay  with  the  help  of  Providence  and  ran  across 
good  Captain  Collins. 

"Somehow  or  other,  I  felt  sure  you  would 
pull  through,  and  it  was  the  same  regarding 
myself,  for  I  could  not  forget  that  we  were  both 
Americans.  It  seemed  likely  you  would  be 
making  for  this  river,  and  I  persuaded,  without 
any  difficulty,  the  kindhearted  Captain  to  head 
up  stream  for  a  couple  of  days  while  we  made 
search  for  you.  That  explains  how  it  was  that 
when  we  saw  you  wave  your  hat  and  start 
toward  us  on  a  run,  I  was  pretty  certain  who 
it  was,  and  we  lost  no  time  in  bringing  you 
aboard." 

I  may  add  that  Percy  Higgenbottom  was  per- 
sistent in  his  efforts  to  secure  remuneration 
from  the  Bolivian  government  for  his  attempt 
to  explore  the  Pilcomayo,  but  he  was  unsuccess- 
ful, for  the  officials — legally  enough — refused 
to  reimburse  him  to  the  extent  of  a  farthing. 

"Perform  your  part  of  the  contract,"  said 
the  suave  President  Seiior  Severo  Fernandez 
Alonzo,  "and  we  will  perform  ours." 

"I'll  be  hanged!"  exclaimed  my  disgusted 
friend,  when  compelled  to  give  it  up,  "If  I  ever 
go  within  a  thousand  miles  of  that  infernal  Pil- 
comayo again,  it  will  be  when  I  am  blind,  deaf, 
and  dumb  and  haven't  a  grain  of  sense  left.  I 


310  IN  THE  FORBIDDEN  LAND 

hope  those  Bolivian  officials  will  make  the  next 
try  at  it  and  get  a  taste  of  the  real  thing. ' ' 

"I  am  with  you  so  far  as  any  repetition  of 
our  folly  is  concerned,"  I  said,  and  we  shook 
hands  on  it. 

At  Concepcion,  we  parted  company  with  Cap- 
tain Collins  and  Casco  Jones.  The  fellow  was 
bubbling  over  with  happiness  at  the  prospect  of 
soon  being  among  his  old  friends,  from  whom  he 
had  been  cruelly  exiled  for  years.  My  last  sight 
of  him  was  standing  at  the  stern  of  the  little 
steamer  and  waving  his  hand  at  me,  while  amid 
the  bustle  and  noise  of  the  South  American 
port,  I  could  hear  his  musical  crooning : 

' '  Alabama  agin !    Alabama  agin ! 
Ef  I  lib  till  de  sun  shines  tomorrer, 
I'll  go  back  to  Alabama  agin!" 


JOHN  C.  WINSTON   CO/S   POPULAR 

EDWARD  S.  ELLIS. 

EDWARD  S.  Ei/US,  the  popular  writer  of  boys'  books,  is 
4  native  of  Ohio,  where  he  was  born  somewhat  more  than  a 
half -century  ago.  His  father  was  a  famous  hunter  and  rifle 
shot,  and  it  was  doubtless  his  exploits  and  those  of  his  asso- 
ciates, with  their  tales  of  adventure  which  gave  the  son  his 
taste  for  the  breezy  backwoods  and  for  depicting  the  stirring 
life  of  the  early  settlers  on  the  frontier. 

Mr.  Ellis  began  writing  at  an  early  age  and  his  work  was 
acceptable  from  the  first.  His  parents  removed  to  New 
Jersey  while  he  was  a  boy  and  he  was  graduated  from  the 
State  Normal  School  and  became  a  member  of  the  faculty 
-while  still  in  his  teens.  He  was  afterward  principal  of  the 
Trenton  High  School,  a  trustee  and  then  superintendent  of 
schools.  By  that  time  his  services  as  a  writer  had  become 
so  pronounced  that  he  gave  his  entire  attention  to  literature. 
He  was  an  exceptionally  successful  teacher  and  wrote  a  num- 
ber of  text-books  for  schools,  all  of  which  met  with  high 
favor.  For  these  and  his  historical  productions,  Princeton 
College  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 

The  high  moral  character,  the  clean,  manly  tendencies 
and  the  admirable  literary  style  of  Mr.  Ellis'  stories  have 
made  him  as  popular  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  as  in 
this  country.  A  leading  paper  remarked  some  time  since, 
that  no  mother  need  hesitate  to  place  in  the  hands  of  her  boy 
any  book  written  by  Mr.  Ellis.  They  are  found  in  the  lead- 
ing Sunday-school  libraries,  where,  as  may  well  be  believed, 
they  are  in  wide  demand  and  do  much  good  by  their  sound, 
wholesome  lessons  which  render  them  as  acceptable  to  parents 
as  to  their  children.  All  of  his  books  published  by  Henry 
T.  Coates  &  Co.  are  re-issued  in  London,  and  many  liave 
been  translated  into  other  languages,  Mr.  Ellis  is  a  writer 
of  varied  accomplishments,  and,  in  addition  to  his  stories,  is 
the  author  of  historical  works,  of  a  number  of  pieces  of  pop- 


THE  JOHN   C.   WINSTON   CO/S    POPULAR   JUVENILES. 

tilar  music  and  has  made  several  valuable  inventions.  Mr. 
Ellis  is  in  the  prime  of  his  mental  and  physical  powers,  and 
great  as  have  been  the  merits  of  his  past  achievements,  there 
is  reason  to  look  for  more  brilliant  productions  from  his  pen 
in.  the  near  future. 


DEERFOOT  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  EDWARD  S.  Ei/ws.  fe.oo 

Hunters  of  the  Ozark.  The  Last  War  Trail. 

Camp  in  the  Mountains. 

LOG  CABIN  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  EDWARD  S.  EUJS.  $3.00 

Lost  Trail.  Footprints  in  the  Forest. 

Camp-Fire  and  Wigwam. 

BOY  PIONEER  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  EDWARD  S.  EMJS.  $3.00 

Ned  in  the  Block-House.  Ned  on  the  River. 

Ned  in  the  Woods. 

THE  NORTHWEST  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  EDWARD  S.  Ei,us.  $3.00 

Two  Boys  in  Wyoming.  Cowmen  and  Rustlers. 

A  Strange  Craft  and  its  Wonderful  Voyage. 

BOONE  AND  KENTON  SERIES. 

3  vols.        *       BY  EDWARD  S.  Ei/us.  $3.00 

Shod  with  Silence.  In  the  Days  of  the  Pioneers. 

Phantom  of  the  River. 

IRON  HEART,  WAR  CHIEF  OF  THE  IROQUOIS. 

i  vol.  BY  EDWARD  S.  EUJS.  |i.oo 

THE  NEW  DEERFOOT  SERIES, 

3  vols.  BY  EDWARD  S.  EUJS.  $3.00 

Deerfoot  in  the  Forest.  Deerfoot  on  the  Prairie. 

Deerfoot  in  the  Mountains. 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON    GO'S   POPULAR  JUVENILES. 

x  COLONIAL  SERIES* 

3  vols.  BY  E.  S.  ELLIS. 

I2ino.     Cloth $3  oo 

x  An  American  King. 

x  The  Cromwell  of  Virginia. 

x  The  Last  Emperor  of  the  Old  Dominion. 

WAR  CHIEF  SERIES, 

3  vols.  BY  E.  S.  ELLIS. 

i2mo.     Cloth 3  oo 

Iron  Keart,  War  Chief  of  the  Iroquois. 
Blazing  Arrow. 
Red  Eagle. 

TRUE  GRIT  SERIES* 

3  vols.                   By  E.  S.  ELLIS. 
tamo.     Cloth 3  ©o 

Jim  and  Joe. 

Dorsey,  the  Young  Inventor. 

Secret  of  Coffin  Island. 

UP  AND  DOING    SERIES* 

3  vols.                   BY     .  S.  ELLIS. 
i2mo.    Cloth 2  25 

Limber  Lew.  A  Hunt  on  Snowshoes. 

The  Cruise  of  the  Fire  fly. 

FOREIGN  ADVENTURE  SERIES* 

3  vols.                    BY  E.  S.  ELLIS. 
lamo.     Cloth 3  oo 

Lost  in  the  Forbidden  Land. 

River  and  Jungle. 

The  Hunt  of  the  White  Elephant. 


FAMOUS  STANDARD 
JUVENILE  LIBRARIES. 

ANY  VOLUME  SOLD  SEPARATELY  AT  $J.OO  PER  VOLUM1 

(Except  the  Sportsman's  Club  Series,  Frank  Nelson  Series  and 

Jack  Hazard  Series.). 

Each  Volume  Illustrated    J2mo.    Cloth* 


HORATIO  ALGER,  JR. 

THE  enormous  sales  of  the  books  of  Horatio  Alger,  Jr., 
show  the  greatness  of  his  popularity  among  the  boys,  and 
prove  that  he  is  one  of  their  most  favored  writers.  I  am  told 
that  more  than  half  a  million  copies  altogether  have  been 
sold,  and  that  all  the  large  circulating  libraries  in  the  country 
have  several  complete  sets,  of  which  only  two  or  three  vol- 
umes are  ever  on  the  shelves  at  one  time.  If  this  is  true, 
what  thousands  and  thousands  of  boys  have  read  and  are 
reading  Mr.  Alger's  books  !  His  peculiar  style  of  stories, 
often  imitated  but  never  equaled,  have  taken  a  hold  upon  the 
young  people,  and,  despite  their  similarity,  are  eagerly  read 
as  soon  as  they  appear. 

Mr.  Alger  became  famous  with  the  publication  of  that 
undying  book,  "Ragged  Dick,  or  Street  Life  in  New  York." 
It  was  his  first  book  for  young  people,  and  its  success  was  so 
great  that  he  immediately  devoted  himself  to  that  kind  of 
writing.  It  was  a  new  and  fertile  field  for  a  writer  then,  and 
Mr.  Alger's  treatment  of  it  at  once  caught  the  fancy  of  the 
boys.  "Ragged  Dick"  first  appeared  in  1868,  and  ever  since 
then  it  has  been  selling  steadily,  until  now  it  is  estimated 
that  about  200,000  copies  of  the  series  have  been  sold. 

— Pleasant  Hours  for  Boys  and  Girls. 


JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO/S   POPULAR 

A  writer  for  boys  should  have  an  abundant  sympathy 
with  them.  He  should  be  able  to  enter  into  their  plans, 
hopes,  and  aspirations.  He  should  learn  to  look  upon  life 
as  they  do.  Boys  object  to  be  written  down  to.  A  boy's 
heart  opens  to  the  man  or  writer  who  understands  him. 

—From  Writing  Stories  for  Boys,  by  Horatio  Alger,  Jr. 


RAGGED  DICK  SERIES. 

6vols.  BY  HORATIO  AI,GSR,  JR.  $6.00 

Ragged  Dick.  Rough  and  Ready. 

Fame  and  Fortune.  Ben  the  Luggage  Boy. 

Mark  the  Match  Boy.  Rufus  and  Rose. 

TATTERED  TOM  SERIES— First  Series. 

4  vols.  BY  HORATIO  AI,GE;R,  JR.  $4.00 

Tattered  Tom.  Phil  the  Fiddler. 

Paul  the  Peddler.  Slow  and  Sure. 

TATTERED  TOM  SERIES— Second  Series. 

4  vols.  14-00 

Julius.  Sam's  Chance. 

The  Young  Outlaw.  The  Telegraph  Boy. 

CAMPAIGN  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HORATIO  AI<GE:R,  JR.  $3.00 

Frank's  Campaign.  Charlie  Codman's  Cruise 

Paul  Prescott's  Charge. 

LUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES— First  Series. 

4  vols.  BY  HORATIO  ALGER,  JR.  $4.00 
Luck  and  Pluck.                                 Strong  and  Steady. 
Sink  or  Swim.                                       Strive  and  Succeed 


THE   JOHN   C.    WINSTON   CO/S    POPULAR   JUVENILES. 

LUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES— Second  Series. 

4  vols.  $4.00 

Try  and  Trust.  Risen  from  the  Ranks. 

Bound  to  Rise.  Herbert  Carter's,  Legacy. 

BRAVE  AND  BOLD  SERIES. 

4  vols.  BY  HORATIO  AI,GER,  JR.  $4.00 

Brave  and  Bold.  Shifting  for  Himself. 

Jack's  Ward.  Wait  and  Hope. 

NEW  WORLD  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HORATIO  AI,GER,  JR.  $3.00 

Digging  for  Gold.    Facing  the  World.         In  a  New  World 

VICTORY  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HORATIO  AI,GER,  JR.  fe.oc 

Only  an  Irish  Boy.  Adrift  in  the  City. 

Victor  Vane,  or  the  Young  Secretary. 

FRANK  AND  FEARLESS  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HORATIO  AI.GKR,  JR.  fe.oo 

Frank  Hunter's  Peril.  Frank  and  Fearless. 

.    The  Young  Salesman. 

GOOD  FORTUNE  LIBRARY. 

3  vols.  BY  HORATIO  AL.GER,  JR.  $3.00 

Walter  Sherwood's  Probation.     A  Boy's  Fortune. 
The  Young  Bank  Messenger. 

RUPERT'S  AMBITION. 
IvoL  BY  HORATIO  ALGER,  JR.  $1.00 

JED,  THE  POOR=HOUSE  BOY. 

I  vol.  BY  HORATIO  ALGER,  JR.  $i.oc 


THE   JOHN   C.   WINSTON   CO/S    POPULAR   JUVENILES. 

HARRY  CASTLEMON. 

HOW  I  CAME  TO  WRITE  MY  FIRST  BOOK* 


sixteen  years  old  I  belonged  to  a  composi- 
tion class.  It  was  our  custom  to  go  on  the  recitation  seat 
every  day  with  clean  slates,  and  we  were  allowed  ten  min- 
utes to  write  seventy  words  on  any  subject  the  teacher 
thought  suited  to  our  capacity.  One  day  he  gave  out  "What 
a  Man  Would  See  if  He  Went  to  Greenland.  "  My  heart  was 
in  the  matter,  and  before  the  ten  minutes  were  up  I  had  one 
side  of  my  slate  filled.  The  teacher  listened  to  the  reading 
of  our  compositions,  and  when  they  were  all  over  he  simply 
said  :  "Some  of  you  will  make  your  living  by  writing  one 
of  these  days."  That  gave  me  something  to  ponder  upon. 
I  did  not  say  so  out  loud,  but  I  knew  that  my  composition 
was  as  good  as  the  best  of  them.  By  the  way,  there  was 
another  thing  that  came  in  my  way  just  then.  I  was  read- 
ing at  that  time  one  of  Mayne  Reid's  works  which  I  had 
drawn  from  the  library,  and  I  pondered  upon  it  as  much  as 
I  did  upon  what  the  teacher  said  to  me.  In  introducing 
Swartboy  to  his  readers  he  made  use  of  this  expression  : 
"No  visible  change  was  observable  in  Swartboy  's  counte- 
nance." Now,  it  occurred  to  me  that  if  a  man  of  his  educa- 
tion could  make  such  a  blunder  as  that  and  still  write  a 
book,  I  ought  to  be  able  to  do  it,  too.  I  went  home  that  very- 
day  and  began  a  story,  "The  Old  Guide's  Narrative,"  which 
was  sent  to  the  New  York  Weekly,  and  came  back,  respect- 
\ully  declined.  It  was  written  on  both  sides  of  the  sheets 
but  I  didn't  know  that  this  was  against  the  rules.  Nothing" 
abashed,  I  began  another,  and  receiving  some  instruction, 
from  a  friend  of  mine  who  was  a  clerk  in  a  book  store,  I 
wrote  it  on  only  one  side  of  the  paper.  But  mind  you,  he 
didn't  know  what  I  was  doing.  Nobody  knew  it  ;  but  one 


THE  JOHN   C.   WINSTON   CO/S   POPUtAR  JUVENILES. 

day,  after  a  hard  Saturday's  work — the  other  boys  had  been 
out  skating  on  the  brick-pond — I  shyly  broached  the  subject 
to  my  mother.  I  felt  the  need  of  some  sympathy.  She 
listened  in  amazement,  and  then  said  :  "Why,  do  you  think 
you  could  write  a  book  like  that  ?' '  That  settled  the  matter, 
and  from  that  day  no  one  knew  what  I  was  up  to  until  I  sent 
the  first  four  volumes  of  Gunboat  Series  to  my  father.  Was 
it  work  ?  Well,  yes  ;  it  was  hard  work,  but  each  week  I  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  manuscript  grow  until  the 
"Young  Naturalist"  was  all  complete. 

— Harry  Castlemon  in  the  Writer. 


GUNBOAT  SERIES. 

6vols.  BY  HARRY  CASIXEMON.  $6.00 

Frank  the  Young  Naturalist.       Frank  before  Vicksburg. 
Frank  on  a  Gunboat.  Frank  on  the  Lower  Mississippi. 

Frank  in  the  Woods.  Frank  on  the  Prairie. 

ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  GASTI.KMON.  $3-oo 

Frank  Among  the  Rancheros.     Frank  in  the  Mountains. 
.Frank  at  Don  Carlos'  Rancho. 

SPORTSMAN'S  CLUB  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASTI.KMON.  13-75 

The  Sportsman's  Club  in  the  Saddle.     The  Sportsman's  Club 
The  Sportsman's  Club  Afloat.  Among  the  Trappers. 

FRANK  NELSON  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASIXEMON.  $3.75 

Snowed  up.         Frank  in  the  Forecastle.     The  Boy  Traders. 

BOY  TRAPPER    SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASOXEMON.  $3.00 

The  Buried  Treasure.    The  Boy  Trapper.     The  Mail  Carrier. 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON   CO/S   POPULAR  JUVSNII^S. 

ROUGHING  IT  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASTI,EMON.  $3.00 

George  in  Camp.  George  at  the  Fort. 

George  at  the  Wheel. 

ROD  AND  GUN  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASTXEMON.  $3.00 

Don  Gordon's  Shooting  Box.      The  Young  Wild  Fowlers. 
Rod  and  Gun  Club. 

GO-AHEAD  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASTI,EMON.  $3.00 

Tom  Newcombe.  Go- Ahead.  No  Moss. 

WAR  SERIES. 

6  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASTI.KMON.  |6.oo 

True  to  His  Colors.  Marcy  the  Blockade-Runner. 

Rodney  the  Partisan.  Marcy  the  Refugee. 

Rodney  the  Overseer.  Sailor  Jack  the  Trader. 

HOUSEBOAT  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASTLEMON.  $3.00 

The  Houseboat  Boys.        The  Mystery  of  Lost  River  Canon. 
The  Young  Game  Warden. 

AFLOAT  AND  ASHORE  SERIES, 
3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASTI,EMON.  J&.oo 

Rebellion  in  Dixie.  A  Sailor  in  Spite  of  Himself* 

The  Ten-Ton  Cutter. 

THE  PONY  EXPRESS  SERIES. 

3  vols.  BY  HARRY  CASTLEMON.  $3.00 

The  Pony  Express  Rider.  The  White  Beaver. 

Carl,  the  Trailer. 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO/S  POPULAR  JUVENIWS. 


J.  T.  TROWBRIDGE. 

NEITHER  as  a  writer  does  lie  stand  apart  from  the  great 
currents  of  life  and  select  some  exceptional  phase  or  odd 
combination  of  circumstances.  He  stands  on  the  common 
level  and  appeals  to  the  universal  heart,  and  all  that  he  sug- 
gests or  achieves  is  on  the  plane  and  in  the  line  of  march  of 
the  great  body  of  humanity. 

The  Jack  Hazard  series  of  stories,  published  in  the  late 
Our  Young  Folks,  and  continued  in  the  first  volume  of  St. 
Nicholas ',  under  the  title  of  "Fast  Friends,"  is  no  doubt 
destined  to  hold  a  high  place  in  this  class  of  literature.  The 
delight  of  the  boys  in  them  (and  of  their  seniors,  too)  is 
well  founded.  They  go  to  the  right  spot  every  time.  Trow- 
bridge  knows  the  heart  of  a  boy  like  a  book,  and  the  heart 
of  a  man,  too,  and  he  has  laid  them  both  open  in  these  books 
In  a  most  successful  manner.  Apart  from  the  qualities  that 
render  the  series  so  attractive  to  all  young  readers,  they 
liave  great  value  on  account  of  their  portraitures  of  American 
country  life  and  character.  The  drawing  is  wonderfully 
accurate,  and  as  spirited  as  it  is  true.  The  constable,  Sel- 
lick,  is  an  original  character,  and  as  minor  figures  where  will 
we  find  anything  better  than  Miss  Wansey,  and  Mr.  P.  Pip- 
kin, Esq.  The  picture  of  Mr.  Dink's  school,  too,  is  capital, 
and  where  else  in  fiction  is  there  a  better  nick-name  than 
that  the  boys  gave  to  poor  little  Stephen  Treadwell,  "Step 
Hen, "  as  he  himself  pronounced  his  name  in  an  unfortunate 
moment  when  he  saw  it  in  print  for  the  first  time  in  his  les- 
son in  school. 

On  the  whole,  these  books  are  very  satisfactory,  and 
afford  the  critical  reader  the  rare  pleasure  of  the  works  that 
are  just  adequate,  that  easily  fulfill  themselves  and  accom- 
plish all  they  set  out  to  do. — Scribner's  Monthly. 


